There is another type of burn that requires immediate medical attention, no matter the severity. If you’ve suffered from an electrical burn (from a power line, for example) go to the hospital right away as this type of injury can cause serious damage to the organs of the body. An electrical burn may not even show on the skin.

There are some things you should avoid doing if you have suffered a burn. Avoid putting butter or oil on a burn, and do not put ice or ice water directly on second- or third-degree burns. If blisters form over the burn, do not break them. Doing these things can cause more damage to the skin and prolong healing time.

Third-degree burns cause damage to all layers of the skin and look white or charred. These burns may cause little or no pain because the nerves and tissue have been so severely damaged. Third-degree burns take a long time to heal and require immediate medical attention. If you suffer a third-degree burn, do not remove any clothing that may be stuck to the burn and don’t soak the area with water or apply ointment. You can cover the area with a clean, damp cloth until you receive medical attention.

Second-degree burns are very painful and often produce blisters on the skin. The skin will look very red and splotchy, and may be very swollen. A second-degree burn usually takes 2-3 weeks to heal with regular cold compresses and an antibiotic cream. It’s not necessary to see a doctor if you’ve suffered a second-degree burn, but it may be a good idea to avoid scarring and promote better healing.

Many of us get burned in the kitchen multiple times each year, but when is it serious enough to see a doctor? Most of the burns we all experience are first-degree burns. They are red and painful, and may swell. The burn may turn white when you press on the skin and it may peel after 1-2 days. First-degree burns usually heal in 3-6 days and do not require medical attention. You should seek medical attention, however, if a first-degree burn covers an area larger than 2-3 inches in diameter, or if the burn is on your face or a major joint.

If you suspect that you’ve suffered a scaphoid fracture, it’s important that you seek treatment as soon as possible. While scaphoid fractures are a fairly common occurrence, many people do not seek medical treatment until the pain is unbearable. Dr. Knight has extensive experience dealing with scaphoid fractures and can quickly diagnose the injury and work quickly to avoid any complications.

In some cases surgery may be required to treat a scaphoid fracture. The most common surgical treatment uses screws to join the disconnected parts of the scaphoid. Healing from this type of surgery generally takes less time than the 12 weeks recommended for casting. For this reason, people who lead an active lifestyle may prefer surgical treatment over a cast. In some cases a bone graph may be the only option to successfully treat a scaphoid fracture.

If you think you have a fracture of the scaphoid bone, a doctor will usually be able to tell upon examination if the bone has been broken. He may order an X-ray to confirm. If the fracture is caught early, you may only need a cast to heal. Unfortunately the scaphoid bone is very delicate and requires complete stability for proper healing to occur; if the bone is moved out of alignment even in the slightest, healing will be prolonged.

The symptoms of a scaphoid fracture tend to be different from those of other wrist fractures. There is often no outward sign of a fracture, and pain may take a few days after the initial trauma to develop. The pain is often intense and felt below the thumb area. Swelling, bleeding and bruises may also occur.

Fracture of the scaphoid bone is the most common type of fracture seen in the wrist. The scaphoid is generally broken after a severe trauma to the wrist, often the result of a fall. The scaphoid bone is particularly susceptible to fracture due to its location in the wrist; it is found beneath the thumb, which is commonly outstretched when we try to catch ourselves during a fall.

On 12/22/2011, my first blog entry on this subject clearly layed out rational options for agressive treatment for a luno-triquetral ligament injury such as what Kobe Bryant sustained 2 weeks ago to his shooting right wrist. Unfortunately, as I predicted his injury doesn’t appear to be a minor injury or one that he can simply play through.

Kobe has said that his ligament is gone and that he must play through it. Per my first blog entry, there are various grades of tears most of which can heal if treated agressively at a minimum taking Kobe out of his game for months to possibly the entire season.

After a rough shooting performance over the last several games, Sportingnews.com earlier today reported that Kobe has been having “excrutiating pain” and has been getting numbing shots before each game.

Getting a wrist joint anesthetized to play a sport is not the right answer as the athlete can tear a partial ligament tear even further. There is no way anyone can accurately assess the severity of this tear without arthroscopic surgery.

It appears the shot worked tonight as Kobe poured in 37 points to lead a Laker win over Houston, which will undoubtedly lead to further numbing shots as it does not appear that Kobe nor his agent nor the Lakers really have an understanding of the magnitude of this injury and the significant healing potential if the injury is not ignored and if it is treated agressively.

Unfortunately, it appears that living game to game is more important than career longevity in the Kobe Bryant case.

Tags: Kobe Ligament Tear, Luno-triquetral ligament tear, Kobe wrist ligament tear

While some patients may think a benign tumor is harmless, it’s still not something to postpone treatment of as the tumor may soon limit mobility or become painful as it impinges on other nerves and tissues. Dr. Knight has treated many hand and wrist tumors in his over 20 years of experience. Call the Hand and Wrist Institute today and schedule your appointment to discuss treatment options with Dr. Knight.

The best option for a hand or wrist tumor is often to remove it altogether surgically. Removing the tumor has the lowest rate of recurrence, whereas injecting or aspirating the tumor, as is often the case with fluid-filled tumors like ganglion cysts, have a high rate of recurrence. Many patients also choose to forgo treatment altogether in the case of a benign tumor, but this is not recommended as over time the tumor will continue to grow and cause further problems.

The first step in diagnosing a hand tumor is to take a detailed history and perform an exam to determine the cause of the tumor. If the bone is thought to be involved, then X-rays may be taken to confirm. An MRI is usually necessary to learn more about the tumor and determine the best course of treatment.

Kobe Bryant 2 days ago injured his dominant shooting right wrist. The media report is that an MRI revealed a tear of the luno-triquetral ligament which is a 1 mm ligament that joins the lunate bone to the triquetrum bone.

My concern is the reports stating that this is a day to day injury and that if it is a small partial tear that this may do well. The problem with wrist ligament injuries is that there is a golden period of about 3 months to get the ligament treated to give it the best chance to heal. It is highly unlikely that this injury will heal without at least a few weeks in a splint (ie. not playing basketball) assuming a partial tear. However, if there is a major tear, then this should be treated very agressively with arthroscopic minimally invasive surgery followed by 8 weeks in a cast and 3 months of rehabilitation afterwards which would take him out of this season. MRIs are only about 60% accurate and frequently miss other injuries. But assuming the MRI is accurate, then the only way to know what grade tear  is present is to scope the wrist soon. If the surgery reveals minor ligament damage, then Kobe would recover to retrun to his game quickly. If more major damage is present, then it can be treated and he will have an 80% chance of a full recovery to play next year.

I like to look at the glass half full vs half empty scenario. If this injury is  not treated aggressively and it is allowed to smolder along and the ligament becomes a chronic problem, then this could very well end up a career ending injury. The reason is that if the ligament doesnt heal, the only way to get rid of pain later is to fuse at least these two bones together which will reduce Kobe’s wrist motion and followthrough of his shooting hand significantly.

The bottom line is that it is better to be over aggressive with a lunotriquetral ligament tear than not.

Tags:  Kobe Bryant’s wrist injury, Kobe Bryant hurt wrist, Kobe Bryant hand injury, Kobe Bryant injury, lunotriquetral ligament tear, lunotriquetral ligament injury

Most hand tumors are visible to the eye on the surface of the skin. If the tumor has formed beneath the skin on the bone or near a nerve, it may not be visible, but will oftentimes be painful. While the majority of hand tumors are benign, it is always a possibility that the tumor could be cancerous, which is why you should not hesitate to see a doctor if you suspect that you have a tumor in your hand or wrist.

Tumor is actually a broad term meant to indicate any abnormal mass or bump. There is often a misconception that all tumors are cancerous, but this is not the case; most are in fact benign. Tumors in the hand and wrist are fairly common. The most common type of tumor found in the hand is called a ganglion cyst, which is fluid-filled and sits beneath the skin. Tumors are also commonly found on the tendon sheath. It’s not clear what causes hand tumors, but trauma is often suspected.

If you browse the Injuries and Syndromes section of our website you’ll find a list of dozens of different ailments of the hand, wrist, and upper extremities. You’ll find detailed information, including symptoms and treatment information, about each condition. If you suspect that you are suffering from an injury or condition of the hand, wrist, or upper extremity, contact Dr. Knight so he can help get your life back on track and pain-free.

When you sustain a fracture to the elbow it’s imperative to seek out the skilled hands of an experienced surgeon. The bones and joints of the elbow are delicate and require expertise to heal properly and to allow for maximum mobility in the future. Healing from an elbow fracture can be a slow process but Dr. Knight has more than 20 years of experience helping patients heal and get back to everyday life.

For severe elbow fractures surgery may be required in order for the bones to heal successfully. Surgery is most often required when the fracture is unstable and is not in a natural position to mend properly. The bones are often realigned using pins, plates or screws. Surgery is generally not needed in the case of elbow fractures in children due to the resilient nature of their bones.

An elbow fracture can generally heal without surgical intervention. As long as the bones have little chance of shifting out of place and the break is normally aligned, a cast or sling is all that is required to hold the bones in proper position to heal. Physical therapy will probably be necessary to restore function of the elbow after six weeks.

If you suspect that you’ve suffered an elbow fracture, do not hesitate to see a doctor immediately. The doctor will do a physical exam to determine the severity of the injury, and then an X-ray will be performed to give the doctor insight into the injury and determine how to proceed with treatment. Depending on the nature of the injury, a CT scan or MRI may also be required.

Virtual hand injury consultation can take place via phone or Skype, whichever you prefer. It usually lasts between 20 and 45 minutes – and you won’t even have to leave home for it. Dr. Knight has been doing virtual consultations for clients across the globe.

Questions the Hand and Wrist Institute May Ask

Background Information

During the virtual consultation, you will be asked specific questions about the nature of your injuries or other physical debilitation of your hand and/or wrists you are experiencing. These questions will vary depending on the particular client and circumstance. Dr. Knight may wish to cover such topics as how long you have had the condition and how it occurred. This gives us some insight into the history of your injury or syndrome.

The doctor may also inquire about how the condition has affected your way of life – for example, you may be asked what abilities and inabilities are associated with it. You will be asked what, if any, other medical procedures have been performed on your hand or wrist condition and what the results were. If a previous diagnosis was given, that will need to be communicated as well. In many cases, prior wrist and hand injuries diagnosis our clients received from other offices were found to have been given inadequately or incorrectly.

Treatment Options

The typical dialog will then progress into topics such as which treatment options you may be most interested in and most comfortable with. These recommendations should give you a basic idea of how the Hand and Wrist Institute can help.

If you have any questions throughout the virtual consultation, Dr. Knight will be glad to address those at this time. Finally, the results you are hoping to achieve through surgical care – and what results you may realistically expect — will be discussed.

Diagnosis

As a result of your virtual consultation, it may be possible for us to give you a diagnosis and discuss in greater detail how treatment will work. At that point, you may be given instructions and made aware of the recovery period, medications, and other information pertaining to surgery.

Injuries and Syndromes the Hand and Wrist Institute Consults For

The Hand and Wrist Institute can hold virtual consultations on a wide variety of injuries and syndromes. Our clients come from all different types of situations and condition levels.

Hand injuries may be lacerations (cuts), dislocations, fractures, burns, infections, soft tissue injuries, and amputations. There are also numerous types of hand and wrist syndromes and ailments that are not necessarily injury-related.

Examples of injuries and syndromes for which patients have approached us
for virtual consultations:

Most people who sustain an elbow fracture experience pain, swelling, tenderness and bruising. Because so many bones come together at the point of the elbow, there is also often an audible popping or cracking noise at the time of the injury. If the fracture is severe, the bone may even protrude from the skin and show visible deformity.

Although the elbow joint is one of the most stable in the body, it tends to be a high stress zone prone to many different types of fractures. The elbow is at a point in the body where three bones come together, the ulna, radius, and humerus. A fracture of the elbow is most often caused by a fall onto an outstretched arm. Fractures of the elbow are also commonly accompanied by sprains, twists, strains, and dislocations.

Dr. Knight and the Hand and Wrist Institute is a nationwide leader in solving the most advanced wrist problems through a minimally invasive procedure called advanced wrist arthroscopy. Dr. Knight is able to make two very small incisions to treat cartilage and ligament injuries with minimal scarring and a quick recovery time. Dr. Knight is dedicated to helping you get back to a normal, pain-free lifestyle.

One of the great features of the Hand and Wrist Institute website is that you can actually schedule an appointment online at your convenience. If you are a new patient, just head to the new patient portal on our home page and fill out the form with your basic information and we’ll get in touch with you. If you’re an existing patient you can login to your account and request an appointment to fit your schedule.

As the winter season approaches, skiing and snowboarding injuries will soon be on the rise. There are four common injuries that occur when people hit the slopes: dislocated shoulders, fractured humerus, injured thumbs, and injured wrists. Skiers more commonly suffer from a fractured clavicle, while snowboarders commonly suffer from dislocated elbow joints. Unfortunately, most snowboarders receive little initial instruction and don’t often wear proper protective equipment. Wrist guards for snowboarders, and wrist or elbow attachments for ski poles will help make wrist and thumb injuries less common.

Dr. Knight chose to specialize in the hand and wrist soon after he began orthopedic surgery training when he discovered an interest in microsurgery. After developing one of the largest hand and upper extremity practices in the Southern U.S. where he performed one of the first successful toe to thumb transplants, he chose to move his practice to Los Angeles. For the past 10 years, Dr. Knight has provided excellent care to his patients and helped them to achieve fuller mobility in their hands.

Treatment for gamekeeper’s thumb depends on several factors, including the severity of the injury, how long ago the injury occurred, and the age and physical demands of the patient. Generally a cast is all that is necessary. If the tear is more severe, surgery is usually a more successful treatment.