We use cookies to help provide you with the best possible online experience.
By using this site, you agree that we may store and access cookies on your device. Cookie policy.
Cookie settings.
Functional Cookies
Functional Cookies are enabled by default at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings and ensure site works and delivers best experience.
3rd Party Cookies
This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.
Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
Elbow, Hand and Wrist (including surgery)
What is Elbow, Hand and Wrist Care?
Our elbows, hands and wrists are essential for nearly everything we do; from everyday tasks like writing, cooking, driving to work, hobbies, and sports. When problems arise, they can have a major impact on quality of life.
Our specialist team provide expert outpatient care and surgery for a wide range of conditions affecting the elbow, hand, and wrist. Whether it’s a painful injury, a long-standing problem, or an urgent issue, we’re here to help you regain comfort, movement, and function.
How we can help
Our specialists can diagnose and treat many problems, including:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve compression conditions
- Trigger finger and thumb
- Ganglion cysts
- Dupuytren’s contracture
- Sports and overuse injuries
- Tendon injuries and disorders
- Fractures and dislocations of the hand, wrist, and elbow
- Ligament injuries (including wrist instability)
- Elbow conditions such as tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
Our Elbow, Hand and Wrist services
At Estuary View Private Medical Services, we provide a full range of outpatient assessments and surgical treatments, such as:
- Diagnosis and management of hand, wrist, and elbow conditions
- Non-surgical treatments, including splinting, injections, and therapy referral
- Day-case and outpatient surgery for common conditions
- Carpal tunnel release surgery
- Trigger finger/thumb release
- DeQuervains release
- Excision of the majority of ganglion cysts and other soft tissue lumps
- Surgery for Dupuytren’s contracture (Needle Fasciotomy)
- Imaging (such as X-Ray)
New Consultant Appointment
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Pricing: £250
This option is for patients who have not previously been seen in our Elbow, Hand and Wrist service. Book this to start your care journey.
Follow-Up Consultant Appointment
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Pricing: £180
This option is for patients actively undergoing treatment who have been seen in our our Elbow, Hand and Wrist service within the last 6 months. Book this to continue your ongoing care.
Carpal Tunnel Release
- Initial Review Duration: 15 minutes (if not already seen in a New Consultant Appointment)
- Procedure Duration: Approximately 30 minutes
Carpal tunnel release surgery is performed to relieve pressure on the median nerve in the wrist, which can become compressed within the carpal tunnel. This condition often causes symptoms such as numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain in the hand and fingers. The aim of surgery is to release this pressure, helping to restore normal sensation and improve hand function.
Trigger Finger or Thumb Release Procedure
- Initial Review Duration: 15 minutes (if not already seen in a New Consultant Appointment)
- Procedure Duration: Approximately 30 minutes
Trigger finger (or thumb) occurs when the tendons that bend the finger or thumb become irritated and inflamed, making it difficult for them to glide smoothly. This can cause the digit to catch, lock, or click painfully when moving, sometimes remaining stuck in a bent position.
Trigger finger or thumb release surgery is performed to release the tight section of tissue that is restricting tendon movement. This allows the tendon to glide freely again, relieving discomfort and restoring smooth motion in the finger or thumb.
Needle Fasciotomy for Dupuytren’s Disease Procedure
- Initial Review Duration: 15 minutes (if not already seen in a New Consultant Appointment)
- Procedure Duration: Approximately 30 minutes
Dupuytren’s disease is a condition where the connective tissue in the palm of the hand thickens and contracts, gradually pulling the fingers into a bent position. This can make it difficult to straighten the fingers fully and can interfere with everyday activities such as shaking hands, wearing gloves, or placing the hand flat on a surface.
A needle fasciotomy is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a fine needle to carefully divide the tight cords of tissue, allowing the affected fingers to straighten. The procedure is typically performed under local anaesthetic and offers a quicker recovery compared with open surgery.
Ganglion Cyst Removal
- Initial Review Duration: 15 minutes (if not already seen in a New Consultant Appointment)
- Procedure Duration: Approximately 30 minutes
Ganglion cysts are benign, fluid-filled swellings that often appear on the back of the hand or wrist, though they can also develop on the palm or near the fingers. While harmless, they can sometimes cause pain, weakness, stiffness, or cosmetic concern, especially if they press on nearby nerves or tendons.
Ganglion cyst removal is a minor surgical procedure to excise the cyst and its root, reducing the chance of recurrence. The aim is to relieve discomfort, restore wrist or hand movement, and improve appearance.
Please Note
Before any surgical procedure, you will need to attend an outpatient appointment in our Elbow, Hand and Wrist Clinic. During this consultation, a specialist consultant will confirm whether surgery is appropriate for you. They will also take the time to answer any questions you may have, explain how to prepare for your procedure, and discuss what you can expect during your recovery.
Following the operation, you will be given clear advice on aftercare, including wound management, gentle exercises, and when you can safely return to everyday activities. Most patients experience significant relief from symptoms, allowing them to return to daily tasks with improved comfort and confidence.
Consultant details
Mr Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith is the senior hand surgeon in East Kent. He has significant experience dealing with all common hand problems including, but not limited to, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, dupuytrens disease, compression of the ulna nerve and thumb base arthritis. He is also one of the most experienced surgeons in the South East offering joint replacements for thumb base and wrist arthritis.
Andrew completed his general orthopaedic training in the South East of England before carrying out a year's subspecialty fellowship in hand surgery in Louisville, USA. For twenty years, Andrew was a consultant in the East Kent NHS Trust, before moving into independent practice in 2024 to prioritise providing excellent care for patients with hand and wrist problems.