Hand Unit

Cleveland Clinic London is home to some of the U.K.’s leading hand and wrist specialists. We provide comprehensive diagnosis and care for a broad range of conditions, from arthritis and nerve conditions to traumatic injuries. You receive state-of-the-art treatments from a skilled and dedicated team.

Our team includes two orthopaedic surgeons and one plastic and reconstructive surgeon. All three consultants specialise in conditions affecting the hands, wrists and fingers. They are leaders in the field, with training from world-renowned institutions. This level of expertise enables us to successfully treat complex conditions, including ones that do not respond to standard therapies.

Highlights of our hand unit include:

• Team approach: Hand and wrist specialists work with rheumatologists, physiotherapists and other experts. We meet weekly to evaluate challenging cases, including severe arthritis and complex trauma. We carefully consider your options before developing a customised care plan.
• Easy access: You receive all the diagnostic testing you need in one place, promptly. New patients can have an evaluation over the phone, through a virtual visit or in person, in as little as one business day. Imaging studies, if necessary, are available on-site. Musculoskeletal radiologists provide timely interpretations of imaging scans so you can start treatment as quickly as possible.
• Injuries and trauma: At Cleveland Clinic London, we offer an acute/urgent trauma You receive prompt, specialised care for severe injuries.
• Seamless care experience: We coordinate every step of treatment so you can focus on healing. When physiotherapy is necessary, we work with trusted occupational therapists in locations throughout London, so you receive care close to home. For trauma affecting multiple body areas, we collaborate with other Cleveland Clinic London consultants to speed recovery and rehabilitation.

Advanced Procedures for Hand and Wrist Pain

The hand unit at Cleveland Clinic London excels in innovative procedures, many of which are not widely available in the U.K. These surgeries are often day cases, meaning you go home within a few hours of surgery.

You have access to techniques that are only available in top programmes such as ours, including:

Ligament reconstruction

This procedure fixes ligament tears due to sports injuries and trauma. Your surgeon takes healthy tendon tissue from one body area to repair damaged areas. We may place metal pins in nearby bones to secure the joint while it heals.

Thumb joint replacement

We replace damaged or worn-out thumb joints with synthetic (human-made) devices that function like a natural joint. Consultants use local anaesthetic to temporarily block sensation to the treatment area instead of general anaesthesia (putting you to sleep). This approach leads to a quicker recovery — as little as two weeks.

Wide-awake wrist arthroscopy

We insert a tiny camera through a small incision to assess your joint, determining the precise location and severity of tissue damage. You receive local anaesthetic and medications that help you relax and block discomfort. Consultants may ask you to move your hand in specific ways to observe how joint structures are working.

Wide-awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery

This technique is similar to wide-awake wrist arthroscopy, as we use local anaesthetic and medications instead of a cuff (tourniquet) to minimise bleeding.

It’s ideal for patients with other medical issues, like heart failure and circulatory conditions, where general anaesthesia or a tourniquet raises the risk of complications. We use the WALANT technique to perform carpal tunnel release, fracture fixation and tendon repairs.

This technique also allows the surgeon to evaluate the biomechanics and function of the hand (how it looks, works and moves) before the end of the procedure.

Additional Hand and Wrist Treatments

Cleveland Clinic London features a broad range of hand and wrist treatments. Complex conditions often require surgery. Consultants design a treatment plan suited to your needs and preferences.

Hand and wrist surgeries

Our options for hand and wrist surgery include:

• Carpal tunnel surgery: We use open or minimally invasive (endoscopic) techniques to cut the ligament over the carpal tunnel and relieve pressure on the median nerve.
• Dupuytren contracture surgery: This procedure divides the tight bands of tissue under the skin of your palm to increase movement in the contracted finger.
• Hand tendon surgery: Our surgeons specialise in trigger finger release surgery (tenolysis), tendon transfers and other forms of hand tendon repair.
• Wrist and thumb joint replacement: We replace damaged or worn-out wrist and thumb bones with metal and plastic components that move and function like a natural joint.

At Cleveland Clinic London, our experts can treat any disorder or injury affecting the hand, wrist, shoulder and elbow. Our care includes a specialised acute/urgent trauma service for severe injuries.

Hand conditions we treat include:

• Benign soft tissue tumours.
• De Quervain’s tendinosis.
• Dupuytren disease.
• Hand and finger fractures.
• Hand arthritis.
• Sprained thumb (skier’s thumb or gamekeeper’s thumb).
• Trigger finger and trigger thumb.
• Tendon injuries.

Wrist conditions we treat include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Ganglion cysts.
• Wrist tendinitis.
• Wrist arthritis.
• Wrist fractures.
• Wrist sprains.
• Ulnar nerve entrapment.

Learn More About Care for Hand and Wrist Pain

Contact us or call +44 20 3423 7500 for more information about our Hand Unit.

We make it easier to access expert care in the U.K. Read more about payment information, including options for self-pay and private medical insurance.

Orthopaedic Self-Pay Services

Whether you need to know the cost of a private MRI scan, surgical procedure or other service, we can help. Cleveland Clinic London has a broad range of tests and treatments available for self-pay, so you have easy access to necessary services. Find out more.