Hand surgery treats injuries, deformities and diseases of the hand, wrist and upper limb, from fractures and cut tendons to severed fingers and nerve paralysis. Dr. N. Jithendran, a plastic and hand surgeon in Bengaluru trained at Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore, focuses on microsurgery, replantation, peripheral nerve and brachial plexus surgery.
- AnaesthesiaLocal, regional (arm block) or general, depending on the procedure
- Hospital stayDay care for many procedures; several days for major reconstruction or replantation
About Hand Surgery and Microsurgery
Hand surgery is Dr. N. Jithendran's core specialty. After an MS in Orthopaedics and an MCh in Plastic Surgery, he worked as a Registrar in hand, plastic and microvascular surgery at Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore. His practice in Bengaluru covers the full range of hand and upper-limb problems, from acute trauma to planned reconstruction.
Much of this work uses microsurgery: repairing arteries, veins and nerves only a millimetre or two wide under an operating microscope. This makes it possible to reattach (replant) amputated fingers, thumbs and limbs, restore blood flow to partly severed digits (revascularisation), rebuild a missing thumb from a toe or finger, and repair or transfer nerves after brachial plexus injuries. His reattachment work, including severed-arm cases in Bengaluru and a toe reattachment in a one-year-old child, has been featured in the press.
The existing page presents before-and-after case photographs, including redo fixation of a finger fracture in a diabetic hand, median nerve injuries and nerve grafting, bike-spoke, work-site and crush injuries, finger revascularisation, thumb replantation and reconstruction, fingertip amputations treated with cross-finger flaps, ring avulsion injuries reconstructed with groin flaps, cracker-blast injuries, finger lengthening and glomus tumour excision.
Procedures in hand surgery
Hand Fractures (Finger and Metacarpal Fractures)
A hand fracture is a break in a finger bone (phalanx) or one of the long palm bones (metacarpals). Stable fractures usually heal in a splint or cast,…
Read more →Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel Release
Carpal tunnel syndrome is pressure on the median nerve at the wrist, causing numbness, tingling, pain and weakness in the thumb, index, middle and…
Read more →Dupuytren's Contracture
Dupuytren's contracture is a thickening of the tissue under the skin of the palm that forms cords and gradually pulls one or more fingers, usually…
Read more →Nerve Repair and Nerve Grafting
Nerve repair is microsurgery that rejoins the cut ends of a nerve under an operating microscope; nerve grafting bridges a gap with a donor nerve when…
Read more →Blood Vessel Repair and Vein Grafting
Vessel repair is emergency surgery that stitches together a cut or torn artery or vein, usually in the hand or arm, to restore blood flow. When the…
Read more →Tendon Repair and Tendon Transfer
Tendon repair stitches together a cut or torn tendon so the joint it moves works again; tendon transfer reroutes a working muscle-tendon unit to…
Read more →Pollicisation (Creating a Thumb from a Finger)
Pollicisation is a hand operation that creates a thumb from an existing finger, usually the index finger, by moving and rotating it into the thumb…
Read more →Brachial Plexus Injuries
A brachial plexus injury is damage to the network of nerves from the neck that controls the shoulder, arm and hand, often from motorcycle accidents…
Read more →Toe-to-Thumb Transplantation
Toe-to-thumb transplantation is microsurgery that moves the great toe or second toe to the hand to replace a missing thumb, reconnecting its bones,…
Read more →Crush Injuries of the Hand
A crush injury of the hand happens when the hand is compressed between two objects, such as machinery, doors or vehicles. It can damage bone,…
Read more →Arteriovenous (AV) Fistula for Dialysis
An arteriovenous (AV) fistula is a surgical connection between an artery and a vein, usually in the forearm, that creates a strong, reliable access…
Read more →Who can benefit?
- Acute hand injuries: fractures, cut tendons, nerves or blood vessels
- Amputated or partly severed fingers, thumb, hand or arm needing replantation or revascularisation
- Crush, blast and machine injuries of the hand and forearm
- Nerve compression and nerve injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome and brachial plexus injuries
- Hand conditions such as Dupuytren's contracture, and children born with a missing or underdeveloped thumb
- Patients with kidney failure who need an arteriovenous fistula for dialysis
How Dr. Jithendran approaches treatment
- Assessment of the hand, its circulation, sensation and movement, with X-rays or scans as needed
- Many procedures are done under local anaesthesia or a regional (arm) block; longer reconstructions use general anaesthesia
- Fractures are fixed with wires, screws or plates; tendons, nerves and vessels are repaired under magnification
- Microsurgery under an operating microscope for replantation, revascularisation, nerve grafting and toe-to-thumb transfer
- Skin grafts or flaps (for example cross-finger or groin flaps) cover wounds where tissue has been lost
What is recovery like?
- Hand therapy and supervised exercises are central to recovering movement and strength
- Splints protect repairs, typically for a few weeks depending on the procedure
- Keeping the hand elevated in the first days usually reduces swelling and pain
- Nerve recovery is slow, typically months, because nerves regrow gradually
- Regular follow-up visits allow the surgeon and therapist to adjust the plan
What are the risks?
- Infection, bleeding and wound-healing problems
- Stiffness, tendon adhesions or reduced grip strength
- Incomplete return of sensation or movement after nerve injury
- Failure of a replanted or transferred part if blood flow cannot be maintained
- Scarring, cold intolerance and the need for further surgery in complex injuries
Why choose Dr. Jithendran?
- Dual training in orthopaedics (MS) and plastic surgery (MCh, DNB), with hand and microsurgery experience from Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore
- Consults at five hospitals across Bengaluru, with 24×7 availability for emergencies
- Clear explanations in English, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu, and time to answer every question
- Strict sterilisation and patient-privacy standards
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if a finger or hand is cut off?
Call for emergency help and press on the wound to control bleeding. Wrap the amputated part in moist, clean gauze, place it in a sealed plastic bag and keep that bag on ice, never in direct contact with ice. Reach a hospital with a hand and microsurgery team as quickly as possible, as time matters for reattachment.
Can a severed finger, hand or arm be reattached?
Often, yes. Replantation uses microsurgery to rejoin bone, tendons, arteries, veins and nerves. Whether it is possible depends on how cleanly the part was cut or crushed, how long it has been without blood supply and how it was stored. The surgeon assesses each case individually, and function after reattachment varies.
What is microsurgery in hand surgery?
Microsurgery is surgery performed under an operating microscope using very fine instruments and sutures, allowing repair of blood vessels and nerves that may be only a millimetre or two wide. It is used for replantation, revascularisation, nerve repair and grafting, toe-to-thumb transfer and moving tissue flaps from one part of the body to another.
Do I need hand therapy after surgery?
In most cases, yes. The hand stiffens quickly after injury and surgery. A structured programme of splinting and exercises, usually guided by a hand therapist, helps tendons glide, joints move and strength return. Following the therapy plan closely is one of the most important factors in the final result.
Who is Dr. N. Jithendran?
Dr. N. Jithendran is a plastic, hand and reconstructive surgeon in Bengaluru. He holds an MS in Orthopaedics, an MCh in Plastic Surgery from Safdarjung Hospital and VMMC, University of Delhi, and a DNB in Plastic Surgery, and was formerly a Registrar in hand, plastic and microvascular surgery at Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore.
