what kind of dr. would you go to for this?

[phaethona]

So I have a dilema, and I'll try to keep this quick, I just wanted to get some opinions about this since I have no clue.

Back in '08 I had a lump in my hand about the size of a dime, and it was attached to the tendons between my index and middle finger. It turned out to be a ganglion cyst, a buildup up joint fluid so otherwise harmless, but because of it's really weird location(dr. said I'd have to search long and hard to find one like mine), it started putting pressure on the median nerve and hurt like crazy. So I put up with it until my hand started going numb and I started dropping things. So I my DO referred me to a plastic surgeon and I had it taken out. Healing took a LOT longer than I'd wanted, but at least it was done...

or was it? beginning of this year I noticed it coming back, so I did what I did before and put up with it until I started going numb and dropping things, and in March I went in to have it taken out again. This time the surgeon said that he also removed a bone spur while he was in there, I thought that was great news because maybe thats why it came back and now that the bone spur is gone, it won't come back, right?

wrong. here I am 9 months later and the pain is coming back and I can see the lump again. I have no idea what to do. I trust my surgeon's skill, but the whole time with both surgeries I got nothing but headache from his head nurse. He's only at his office one day a week. This place is a high profile, high class office that seems to be more concentrated on the aesthetic stuff, botox and what-not. I felt like I'd gone into a human chop-shop, get ya in, slice slice then be gone with you.
I felt left out in the cold, the pain and swelling went on for months. I did PT but it didn't help, the last time I went in for a follow-up he said "I don't have any answers for you" no one could figure out why I was having such a hard time. and it was very disheartening, especially since it was my dominant hand and I have a TON of responsibilities around here that won't wait around for me to heal.

So going into it again, I feel like I'd be a fool to go back to him again, besides to get my file. But then what do I do? I don't know what kind of physician to go to, maybe orthopedic? I'm clueless, and I don't want to find myself as helpless as I was before. I want someone who better understands what is going on and who can help me understand as well.

 

[Orchid]

I would try an orthopedic surgeon, especially now if there's a bone spur involved.

Best of luck with that, what a pain for you.

 

[Wendy'sChicksRock]

Go see an orthapedic surgeon,they will take car of it for you,they work on tendons,ligaments and such..ouch good luck

 

[mom'sfolly]

I'm not sure I'd go back. I think you might want to contact an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hands. I think many plastic surgeons do only cosmetic surgery these days, and not many do real reconstructive surgery. I think I would be very concerned and wanting answers on why the thing keeps coming back. I'd also try to get a second opinion before doing any surgery. Make sure the people you consult have seen the records of the first two surgeries.

Is there any chance that this has been misdiagnosed, and is something else?

A first stop might be be your gp, to see if s/he has anyone to recommend.

 

[phaethona]

I got so frustrated after the 2nd surgery I wanted to go to someone else and that was the only route I could think of, maybe an ortho, but I had no idea if I fit the criteria, and honestly didn't really know what the difference was. I just want someone who can tell me "_________ is causing _________" etc. and help me understand how I can get through it, besides throwing pain pills and PT appointments and go

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[woodmort]

Just to let you know that this may be a chronic problem. Not to discourage you but I have several of those cysts although on my abdomen. My doctor told me they could be removed but they would return so, as long as they weren't a problem, to ignore them.

 

[phaethona]

mom'sfolly :

I'm not sure I'd go back. I think you might want to contact an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hands. I think many plastic surgeons do only cosmetic surgery these days, and not many do real reconstructive surgery. I think I would be very concerned and wanting answers on why the thing keeps coming back. I'd also try to get a second opinion before doing any surgery. Make sure the people you consult have seen the records of the first two surgeries.

Is there any chance that this has been misdiagnosed, and is something else?

A first stop might be be your gp, to see if s/he has anyone to recommend.

I don't think it's misdiagnosed, both times I got an MRI and they said the same thing, but then again I'm not a dr. so...

In my own researching, ganglion cysts usually aren't that big a deal, in fact they call them "bible sores" because in the ol' days the remedy was to take a big book and smash it. but my case is unusual, it's not superficial just underneath the skin, it's way down in there and it's affecting the tendons, which of course makes it a lot more traumatic post-op(lucky me right?) and means I'd have a much better chance at breaking my hand than the cyst if I went that route.

anyway, I read that the recurrency rate is very low, so by now I'm very curious as to why it keeps coming back. And that's one of the major reasons I don't want to go back to him, I know that even the most competent of surgeons can't nail prognosis 100%, but something's gotta give.

I'm kind of up a creek for a GP too, mine packed up and moved to AZ and I haven't (knock on wood) needed one since he left, so I'm kinda starting from scratch​

 

[welsummerchicks]

Time to talk to a hand guy. I mean a specialist hand surgeon. They are around. Ask some banged up old horse person in your area, they always know the hand guys! LOL!

google 'hand surgeon missouri' and it will come up with a list of towns and you can pick someone near you, if you want to handle it that way. me, I'd probably ask doctors in the area who they think is the master at it, and go to that guy, even if he was a few hour's away. I had hand surgery a few months ago, and it came out very, very well, I am just amazed.

These cysts can be very frustrating, but I think there are different surgical techniques, braces, other options.

 

[Orchid]

I happen to know a great orthopedist who specializes in hands at the university of Minnesota, but you probably don't want to travel that far.

 

[KellyHM]

My mom gets those on the back of one hand. Luckily hers usually don't hurt (only once in a while) and she's only ever had to have 1 drained...the others have gone away over the course of time (and sometimes come back, then go away again). There's not much you can do to prevent them...just have to deal with them as they came. You really just need to see a hand specialist though.