Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Questions are grouped by topic. Each answer links to the treatment page where you can read more. If your question is not here, send it on WhatsApp to +91 98220 31140.
66 questions · 10 topics
Emergencies: when to come straight away5
Injuries and warning signs that should be seen the same day.
Yes, for serious hand injuries, go immediately. If there is a deep cut, heavy bleeding, a crushed or cut-off finger, a finger that looks bent or out of shape, numbness, or you can't move a finger, go to the hospital right away. The first few hours matter most for repairing tendons and nerves and for saving fingers. If part of a finger has been cut off, wrap it in clean damp cloth, put it in a sealed plastic bag, and keep that bag on ice (never put the finger directly on ice). For milder pain, swelling or stiffness, book an appointment within 1–2 days.
Wrap the amputated part in a clean, moist cloth or gauze, seal it in a plastic bag, and place the bag on ice, never put the part directly on ice or in water. Reach a hand surgeon or the nearest emergency department as fast as possible; earlier arrival gives replantation its best chance.
Not always, but sudden colour change, severe pain or a cold finger after an injury should be assessed urgently. A slower colour change that comes and goes with cold is less urgent but still deserves an assessment.
A wound that is not healing, black or dead tissue, spreading redness, fever, or a foot that suddenly changes colour or temperature needs same-day care. Delay in diabetic foot problems costs tissue and sometimes the limb.
A lump that is growing fast, painful at rest, fixed to deeper structures, or over about two centimetres should be examined promptly. Most hand lumps are benign, but the few that are not are best caught early.
Hand and wrist injuries and fractures4
Broken bones, cut fingers and other injuries to the hand and wrist.
Not always, but a fracture is hard to rule out without an X-ray. Scaphoid fractures in particular can look like a simple sprain and still need treatment, so a hand injury that stays painful should be assessed rather than waited out.
A fingertip that cannot straighten on its own after a ball strike is usually a mallet finger: the tendon that straightens the tip has torn, sometimes pulling off a small piece of bone. It is usually treated in a splint, but it needs to be seen early, so get it checked within a few days rather than waiting.
No. Many wrist fractures that stay in good position heal well in a cast. Surgery is considered when the broken ends have shifted, the fracture is unstable, the joint surface is involved, or the patient's work or sport needs a precise result. Repeat X-rays in the first weeks show whether the position is holding.
No. Replantation depends on the level and type of injury, the condition of the part, and the patient. Clean cuts reattach better than crush or avulsion injuries. The surgeon examines the part and the wound before advising.
Adventure and sports injuries4
Frostbite, tennis elbow and hand injuries from trekking, climbing and sport.
It may be frostnip, the mildest form, which recovers fully once the fingers are warmed. If the skin stays white, waxy or hard, or blisters appear after warming, it is frostbite and needs medical care. Get the fingers checked as soon as you are back from the mountain, even if they look better.
Not necessarily. Many frostbitten fingers recover, and it can take weeks before it is clear how much tissue will survive. Decisions about removing any tissue are usually delayed until then, so that as much of the finger as possible is kept.
Yes. Most people with tennis elbow do not play tennis. Any repeated gripping or lifting can cause it, including climbing, using trekking poles, gym work, typing, carrying bags and manual work.
No. Stop, remove rings, apply ice and get it checked if it looks crooked, cannot straighten, or stays painful and swollen. A small fracture or tendon injury that is missed can leave a stiff or bent finger.
Numbness, nerves, paralysis and spasticity9
Tingling and numbness, nerve compression, weakness and stiff, tight hands.
No. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the commonest cause, but the same feeling can come from the ulnar nerve at the elbow, the neck, or thoracic outlet syndrome. A clinical examination, sometimes with a nerve conduction study, tells them apart.
It is a simple, painless test that measures how fast electrical signals travel through the nerve. It confirms whether a nerve is compressed and how severe the compression is, which guides the treatment decision.
Not always. Mild or early compression often improves with night splinting and activity changes. Surgery is advised when compression is constant, the nerve shows damage on testing, or symptoms keep returning despite proper non-surgical care.
It depends on the cause. Tendon transfers can restore useful movement when muscles have lost their nerve supply, and nerve repairs or transfers help in selected cases. The earlier the assessment, the more options remain open.
Earlier is better. Nerves regenerate slowly, roughly a millimetre a day, so evaluation within weeks to a few months of injury keeps surgical options open. A baby with a limp arm after birth should be assessed promptly.
A healthy muscle that the hand can spare is detached at one end and rerouted to do the job of a paralysed muscle. After a period of protection and therapy, the patient learns to use it for the new movement.
Not always. Nerve surgery may no longer be possible after a long delay, but tendon transfers and joint procedures can still improve function, provided the joints can be made supple first.
No. Surgery on a spastic hand aims to improve position, hygiene, care and selected function, not to create a normal hand. Splints, therapy and botulinum injections all have a role alongside or instead of surgery.
It can, once the condition has stabilised. Releasing tight muscles or rebalancing tendons can open a clenched fist, make the palm easier to clean and the hand easier to dress, and sometimes improve grip.
Pain, arthritis and lumps6
Painful, stiff or swollen hands and wrists, locking fingers and lumps.
Pain lasting more than a few weeks, pain that disturbs sleep, visible swelling or deformity, locking or catching of a finger, or weakness in the grip all deserve an examination rather than continued self-treatment.
Arthritis cannot be reversed, but its pain and stiffness can usually be controlled well. Splints, medicines, injections, activity modification and, for advanced joints, surgery each have a place depending on which joint is involved.
Locking or clicking usually means trigger finger, a tendon that catches on a tight pulley at the base of the finger. Mild cases respond to a steroid injection; a fixed locked finger usually needs a small release procedure.
No. Most lumps in the hand are benign, ganglion cysts, giant cell tumours of the tendon sheath and lipomas are far more common than anything dangerous. An examination, sometimes with ultrasound, settles what the lump is.
Most are not, but only an examination and sometimes tests can say.
A ganglion is a jelly-filled swelling that comes from a joint or tendon sheath. Many settle without treatment. Removal is considered when the cyst is painful, keeps coming back after aspiration, or interferes with hand use.
Children's hand conditions6
Hand differences present from birth, and hand problems in children.
Soon after birth if possible. An early visit does not mean early surgery, it gives the family a diagnosis, a plan and the right timing. Some procedures work best in the first year or two of life.
Often, yes. Depending on how much of the thumb developed, options range from reconstruction of the existing thumb to pollicization, where the index finger is moved into the thumb position. The choice depends on the child's anatomy.
Possibly. Severe differences are sometimes corrected in stages, and growing children may need review as the hand develops. The surgeon explains the likely sequence at the first consultation.
Hand surgery in infants is routine for specialist teams and is done under paediatric anaesthesia. Timing is chosen to balance safety with the developmental window when a procedure works best.
Yes, in selected children. The decision depends on the child's age, how much voluntary control and sensation the hand has, and the family's goals. Many children are first treated with therapy and splints.
Yes, in selected children with short fingers present from birth or after an injury. Timing is planned around the child's growth and ability to cooperate with care after surgery.
Reconstruction, skin cover and deformity11
Rebuilding a hand after injury, covering wounds, burns and short fingers.
Often it is not. Even when an injury was treated elsewhere and the hand has been stiff or weak for a long time, staged surgery can still restore useful function. The hand is examined first to see what is realistic.
Each stage prepares for the next. Healthy skin usually has to be in place before tendons or nerves can be moved under it, and joints must be supple before a tendon transfer can move them.
Only if the skin is scarred or missing over an area where tendons, nerves or bone need to work. Then a flap brings in healthy skin with its own blood supply.
Dressings alone cannot heal a wound where tendon, nerve, bone or joint is exposed, those structures need living tissue cover. A flap brings its own blood supply so the deeper structures survive and heal.
A graft is a thin layer of skin with no blood supply of its own; it survives only on a healthy wound bed. A flap is thicker tissue that carries its own blood supply and can cover exposed tendons, nerves or bone.
Donor areas are chosen to leave acceptable function and appearance, and most heal well. The surgeon explains what the donor site will look and feel like before deciding on a flap.
Yes. Even long-standing contractures can often be released and covered with grafts or flaps. Earlier correction gives better function, but surgery years later can still meaningfully improve position and use of the hand.
Often the movement can be improved by releasing the scar and covering the gap with skin or a flap. The surgeon explains what is realistic after examining the hand.
The plan depends on the deformity. It may mean releasing tight scar tissue, correcting bone position, or covering the area with a skin graft or flap. The surgeon examines the hand before explaining what is realistic.
Often, yes. Lengthening does not have to be done at the time of the injury. It can be planned months or years later, once the wound has healed and the skin and bone are healthy. The hand is examined and X-rayed first to see what is possible.
It depends on the finger, how much bone and skin are available, and the method used. The surgeon will explain a realistic goal for your hand at the consultation. Even a modest gain can make a real difference to pinch and grip.
Foot, circulation and knee8
Diabetic foot, poor blood supply to the fingers, and knee pain.
In selected patients with a clear compression point, releasing the trapped nerve can restore some sensation and reduce pain. It does not treat diabetes itself, and not every patient with neuropathy is a candidate, assessment decides.
Diabetes reduces sensation, so small injuries go unnoticed, and it narrows blood vessels, so wounds heal slowly. A small ulcer can deepen to infection and gangrene if it is not treated early.
A hand surgeon can assess the finger and its blood vessels and involve a physician or vascular surgeon when needed. A sudden blue, white or cold finger should be seen at the nearest hospital emergency department without delay.
It is usually managed rather than cured. Keeping warm, stopping smoking and, when needed, medicines prescribed after assessment reduce attacks.
In many people, yes, especially in the early and moderate stages. Weight control, strengthening exercises, activity changes, supports and medicines can reduce pain and improve walking. Surgery is considered when these no longer help.
The right exercise usually helps rather than harms. Strengthening the thigh and hip muscles takes load off the knee joint. Pain during exercise should be mild and settle quickly; if not, the programme should be adjusted.
Not always. Many knee problems can be diagnosed from the history, examination and a standing X-ray. An MRI is useful when a ligament or meniscus injury is suspected or the diagnosis is unclear.
When pain and stiffness seriously limit daily life despite a proper trial of non-surgical treatment, and X-rays show advanced joint damage. The decision is individual and is made together with the patient.
Surgery and recovery7
Healing times, splints and what to expect after treatment.
Most hand and wrist fractures heal in about four to eight weeks, depending on the bone, the fracture pattern and whether surgery was needed. Stiffness and weakness often take longer to settle than the bone itself.
Usually, yes. A released contracture tends to tighten again while it heals, so a splint and exercises keep the correction. Splints are made in-house at the clinic.
When compression is released early, recovery is usually complete. Long-standing compression may leave residual numbness because injured nerve fibres take months to regenerate and may not recover fully.
It depends on the lump. Ganglion cysts can recur after aspiration or surgery, while many other benign lumps are removed completely. The surgeon explains the recurrence risk for the specific diagnosis.
It depends on the type. Ganglions can return, while many other benign lumps are removed completely. The surgeon explains the risk for your diagnosis.
Scars can tighten again while healing, which is why splints and exercises are part of treatment.
Gradual lengthening takes several months from the first operation until the new bone is strong. Simpler procedures, such as deepening the web between fingers, heal in a few weeks. Your surgeon will give a timeline for your plan.
Appointments and visiting the clinic6
Clinic days, booking, and sending reports before you travel.
Yes. Send your reports, X-rays and clear photographs of the hand on WhatsApp to +91 98220 31140 before you travel, so the doctor can review them first.
The clinic is open Tue–Sat · 10 AM–12 Noon · Monday by appointment only · Sunday – Closed (available for emergency call or message).
Sardesai Clinic, Opposite Ratna Memorial Hospital, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune 411016. See the map and directions link on this page.
An appointment is preferred. You can request one on WhatsApp (+91 98220 31140) or by calling +91 20 2565 5665 during clinic hours.
Dr. Jindal reviews your reports and X-rays, examines the hand, explains the diagnosis and the options, and answers your questions. Whether surgery is needed, and when, is decided after the examination.
Yes. Bring all earlier reports, scans and operative notes so the picture is complete.
More detailed answers are in the patient guides.