Programs & Services

Your child’s hand is a complex structure of bones, tendons, joints and ligaments that work together to perform daily activities – everything from brushing teeth to making a sandwich or using a cell phone.

When something’s not right, our hand specialists provide expert care. Phoenix Children’s offers many programs and services to improve the function and appearance of your child’s hand and forearm.

Services We Provide  

• Arthrodesis – fusion of joints in the hand or wrist to relieve pain from injury or arthritis
• Congenital hand surgery – surgery to treat or repair issues present at birth, such as extra or missing fingers, webbed fingers, oversized fingers or club hand
• Distraction lengthening – a process that uses special equipment to create or lengthen bones in the fingers
• Fracture/crush injury repairs – procedures to treat fingers, hands, wrist or forearm damaged by pressure or force
• Hand therapy – a program in which specially trained physical and occupational therapists help children regain the ability to function with their hands after an injury or learn to cope with congenital differences
• Microvascular surgery – used to reattach severed fingers, hands and arms by reconnecting small blood vessels and restoring circulation before the tissue dies
• Nerve injury repair
• Prenatal consultations – meetings to discuss treatment for babies after ultrasound discovers hand differences, such as missing, fused or webbed fingers
• Reconstruction of the upper extremity – surgery to treat issues with the hand or forearm
• Post-traumatic reconstruction – surgery to eliminate pain and improve the appearance and function of a hand that was impaired due to injury or scarring
• Soft tissue injury repairs – repairs to cartilage, muscles, nerves, ligaments, tendons and blood vessels
• Tendon release – a procedure that cuts or disconnects a tendon to allow the thumb, finger or wrist to move freely
• Tendon repair – surgery to reconnect damaged ends of tendons and allow movement of the arm, wrist or fingers
• Tendon transfers – surgery to restore lost hand and arm movement by replacing a damaged tendon, nerve or muscle with a healthy one

Because complex hand issues involve many body systems, we take a multidisciplinary approach to care, often collaborating with other experts at Phoenix Children’s to give your child the very best care.

Specialized Programs

If needed, your child will also have access to our other specialized programs, including the:

• Arthrogryposis Clinic
• Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Clinic
• Vascular Anomaly Clinic    

We also offer occupational and physical therapy through the Phoenix Children’s Frances H. McClelland Rehabilitation Program. Our therapists partner with your child’s hand specialist to create a unique treatment plan.

Common Physical and Occupational Therapy Services

• Assistive equipment to help your child perform tasks
• Bracing for hand and forearm fractures
• Functional skills training
• Joint range of motion and stretching of hand and forearm
• Preoperative hand evaluations
• Postoperative rehabilitation
• Splint fabrication to prevent further damage and promote healing
• Strengthening of fingers, hand or forearm
• Therapies to reduce pain and promote healing (hot/cold packs, paraffin wax dips)