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Tag Archives: Orthopaedic Surgeon

Non-urgent private elective surgery put on hold

Due to the worsening case numbers, NSW Health has requested all non-urgent elective surgery in the private sector be put on hold starting Monday 23rd August. This is in conjunction with public hospitals ceasing elective surgery 4 weeks ago. This means that only Category 1 patients such as fractures or other emergency operations can still continue. All other elective operations will now have to be deferred, with no end date set at this stage. The reason for this move is to free up general ... Read More
August 18, 2021 By Jai Sungaran in

How much does it cost to have my hand or wrist operation?

Estimating the cost of hand and wrist surgery is a difficult question to answer without a proper clinical assessment. The item numbers used depend on the specifics of a patient's condition and presentation. It also depends on the approach. For example, an open operation may use a different item number to an arthroscopic or “key-hole” operation. However every patient should be aware that there is no hand or wrist operation that you have to pay for in Australia, if you have a Medicare ... Read More
March 6, 2021 By Jai Sungaran in

Surgery for a wrist fracture is not always necessary

It is important to constantly evaluate our treatment options of even the most common injuries, like a wrist fracture. Surgery, while important for many injuries, is not always necessary to achieve a good outcome. This was the rationale behind Dr. Sungaran’s research work that has now been published in JAMA Surgery, the highest ranking surgical journal in the world. This collaboration of highly trained and well respected Surgeons from Australia have shown that for a wrist fracture in our older ... Read More
January 14, 2021 By Jai Sungaran in , ,

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should…

As Surgeons we are trained to "fix" a problem. If a bone is broken we can use plates and screws to realign it and relieve pain. If someone cuts their finger, we can repair their nerves, tendons, and arteries to restore its appearance and function. If you have an arthritic joint, chances are we have a replacement that we can implant to improve your motion. But one of the hardest things to do as a Surgeon, is to tell a patient that you cannot help them with an operation. Just think about ... Read More

Hand exercises while in a cast can improve grip strength

During this morning's first session at the Australian Hand Surgery Society annual meeting, Dr. Sungaran presented his study on grip strength in older patients treated for a wrist fracture with a cast. This was a prospective, randomised controlled trial (PRCT) which is regarded as high level evidence that the outcomes are of clinical significance. The main finding of this study was that grip strength was noticeably better in patients who had a hand exercise program even while they were in ... Read More
April 4, 2019 By Jai Sungaran in , , , ,

Women in Orthopaedics

Orthopaedic Women's Link (OWL) is an advocate for women in orthopaedics. OWL aims to encourage and support women through their orthopaedic careers, from as early as medical school, through to consultant level. OWL also seeks to create visible role models, encourage women to pursue and complete orthopaedic surgical training, address education issues, monitor gender-related matters and statistics, and providing advice to women trying to overcome work-life challenges. Dr. Sungaran is ... Read More
March 20, 2019 By Jai Sungaran in , , ,

What type of anaesthetic should I have for my hand surgery?

Anaesthesia was a major advancement for surgery as it conquered the fear of pain during procedures. General anaesthesia was first used successfully in 1846 and has come a long way since. It is a safe and reliable option for many operations. However, there are multiple different options for anaesthesia during surgery including local anaesthesia, regional blocks and conscious sedation. Currently there is even a push in some centres for WALANT or Wide Awake Local Anaesthesia with No Tourniquet ... Read More

What is De Quervain’s tendinitis?

De Quervain's tenosynovitis is a painful condition of the thumb and wrist due to inflammation of two tendons. It seems to be more common in women than men, and there are multiple causes. Pregnant women and new mothers are a high risk group probably because of the generalised increased swelling, but also due to poor posture. This is especially noticeable when carrying the newborn, or positioning for feeding. Wrist and thumb flexion together with ulnar deviation (moving the wrist towards ... Read More
September 19, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in

What’s new in hand surgery

Looking forward to sharing some exciting developments with our nursing colleagues at the Australian Orthopaedic Nursing Association (AONA) annual conference today. Hand surgery continues to advance and develop, offering better outcomes for patients. For example, we are now able to 3D print titanium mesh models of the scaphoid bone to replace native bone which is either too damaged or diseased, thereby giving patients an alternative to wrist fusion surgery. It is a reminder that we, as ... Read More
May 3, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in , , , , ,

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