Surgery appointment
Hi Dr Bland,
I came to see you on 8 December for the nerve conduction studies on both hands. After our post test conversation I've decided that I wish to go straight for the surgery. Whilst my left hand was worse than the right, as odd as it sounds, can I go for the right hand first and then after the appropriate period the left hand ? I'd wish to have both done this year [if possible] and this approach would work better with my diary. Would there be appointment availbility for the first procedure in March ? I think you said in December the likely projected surgery wait time at that point was looking at early Feb.
Thank you for the advice and guidance and look forward to hearing back.
Kind regards
Darren
Hi again,
OK, that sounds like a plan.
Regarding my left hand then for the surgery am I able to elect a date in late March ? Good for me would be 26, 27 or 28 March ? Sorry to ask but this is considering best place into the diary, pre and post procedure.
At a push I could do 22 or 23 March but preference would be the 26, 27, 28 dates.
If you could let me know I can make the necessary plans at work.
Many thanks Dr Bland, look forward to hearing from you.
Darren
I get most of the operations done in primary care and that far ahead the only lists which I think are currently set up are Dr Rine's in Herne Bay - which take place on Saturday mornings - which would mean the 24th or 31st - what do you think? JB
The 24 March sounds really good, I can't do the 31 March though, sorry. Darren
OK I'll book you in for the 24th when I get back to the office and put the details in the post. JB
Many thanks, can I take it then that the date is confirmed for the 24 March ahead of the letter ? (I can then start to clear my week) Cheers.
I can't honestly recommend surgery on the grade 1 right side. The odds on a successful outcome are not as good, oddly enough - take a look at the surgical outcome graph on here - about 10% less chance of a good result for the right hand compared to the left. Before resorting to surgery on a grade 1 hand I would prefer to be reassured that it will repond well by it demonstrating a good response to local steroid injection - a temporary, but good, response to injection being a useful predictor of surgical success. The left hand however is an ideal subject for surgery, statistically speaking, and there is a small but significant possibility that you may never need to operate on the right hand if the left is done. We are currently booking operations about the end of Feb/beginning of March. If the symptoms have changed in severity then we might re-think - repeating the severity questionnaire on here would be a useful exercise at this point - just go back to the questionnaire section and do it again - it will only do the last few pages relating to subjective severity. JB