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 will cease to offer consultations and surgical services where a Medicare Rebatable Item Code does not apply from 1 July 2023. This includes injections for palmar hyperhidrosis. If you are eligible to get vaccinated and/or boosted, please do. so.

Post operative instructions

Created 11 January 2012, last modified 03 September 2014

I endeavour to make the post operative experience comfortable and anxiety-free for my patients. If you have elective surgery with Melbourne Hand Surgery you will receive written instructions that are specific for you regarding your after sugery care. This page gives general advice and instructions on what to do, what not to do and what you can expect after hand surgery.

Please keep your hand elevated at or above the level of your heart for at least 48 hours after surgery. This reduces swelling, improves pain and speeds your healing. Avoid activities that put you at risk of injuring your hand.
You must keep your dressings dry and on until review. Do not change your dressings unless you have been specifically instructed to do so.
When showering please place a plastic bag over your dressings and keep your hand elevated. If you need to apply additional tape to secure a loose bandage please do so. Only remove your splint or plaster if you have been specifically instructed to do so by a hand therapist or surgeon.
During hand surgery we usually administer local anaesthetic to your hand to minimise pain. Commonly this results in numbness to part of your hand for 6-24 hours. When the local anaesthetic wears off it is common to experience some throbbing, discomfort or pain.
Take the pain medications that you have been prescribed so that you are comfortable.
If you have minimal pain once the local anaesthetic wears off you do not need to keep taking pain medications.
If you have been prescribed antibiotics you should take the course until finished, unless you develop significant side effects (such as vomiting, severe diarrhoea, a significant rash or swelling not related to your hand surgery).
We encourage early movement of after surgery as this speeds recovery. However, you must not move any joints that are immobilised with a splint unless specifically instructed to do so by your hand therapist and surgeon.
Do not smoke. Smoking reduces blood flow to the fingers by 42% and reduces healing.
Do not drive until you have been advised that it is safe to do so.

If you need to contact us during business hours please phone 9427 9596. If you need to contact Dr Tomlinson urgently after hours please phone Epworth Hospital Switchboard on 9426 6666 and ask to be put through to Dr Jill Tomlinson on her mobile phone.

Symptoms of concern that should encourage you to seek urgent medical attention include severe pain, change of colour of your fingers (purple, blue, white), sudden loss of movement of your hand, bleeding, excessive swelling, overly tight bandage/splint, signs of infection (fever, discharge, offensive odour, increasing pain), and uncontrolled nausea or vomiting.

If you have any questions please ask!

If you think of other information that we should include here please let us know.

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