We recommend that adults and children over 12 wear face masks when attending our clinic, but no longer provide masks to patients and carers. Videoconsultations are conducted via telehealth at our dedicated virtual clinic. We are experiencing high demand for appointments hence require that all patients provide a referral prior to booking an appointment so that we can identify and manage urgent and emergency conditions in a timely manner, and so that our surgeons can assess your suitability for a telehealth appointment and identify any further information or tests that might be required before your consultation. If our surgeons assess that your condition (especially recent injuries) is best managed with hand therapy rather than surgery we may recommend that you see a qualified hand therapist (physiotherapist or occupational therapist) rather than schedule an appointment with our surgeons. Dr Tomlinson does not offer consultations and surgical services where a Medicare Rebatable Item Code does not apply; this includes injections for palmar hyperhidrosis. Dr Tomlinson has scheduled sabbatical leave during much of October, November and December 2023 so will not be available for urgent or emergency referrals during that time.

Avocados: a hidden health hazard

Created 23 December 2011, last modified 25 November 2018

Avocados are delicious; I eat them regularly. But I also regularly perform surgery on people who have sustained an "avocado injury" - when they accidentally plunge a sharp knife into their hand while trying to remove the pit from the avocado. Even actress Meryl Streep sustained an "avocado injury" in 2012.

Sometimes no significant structures are injured, but sometimes the knife cuts a nerve, an artery and/or a tendon. It is possible to have a partial injury to a tendon and still be able to move the hand normally, but there is a significant risk that a partially injured tendon may completely rupture, so review by a hand surgeon is recommended.

The most dangerous way to remove the pit from an avocado is to stab the end of the knife at the pit - because the knife can glance off the side and plunge straight into your hand.

The safest way to remove the pit from an avocado is with a spoon. The YouTube video below shows a safe method with a knife - from a mother who explains that she has adjusted her technique after she cut herself and had to have stitches. Another relatively safe technique using a knife is demonstrated in photos at this website.

Tweets by @MelbHandSurg

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