Hand surgery · Melbourne
Hand surgery in Melbourne
Dr Brian Yue is a specialist plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a strong clinical interest in hand surgery. His practice combines elective hand surgery with public-hospital work involving hand trauma, tendon and nerve problems and reconstruction. He has public appointments at Western Health, Northern Health and Barwon Health, and supervises junior doctors at Western Health. Hand surgery is a substantial part of my clinical work. I assess the problem in relation to what you need your hand to do: work, grip, fine tasks, sport, caring responsibilities and everyday independence. An examination and a clear account of your symptoms matter alongside scans and nerve tests. The aim is a treatment that addresses the cause while preserving useful movement and strength.
A substantial focus on hand function
Conditions I treat
- Trigger finger and thumb , including painful catching and locking.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve compression , including ulnar nerve compression at the elbow.
- Dupuytren disease , where cords progressively pull fingers into the palm.
- Thumb base osteoarthritis , including selected approaches that preserve the joint.
- Hand osteoarthritis and rheumatoid hand problems .
- Tendon repair, reconstruction and tendon transfers .
- Hand injuries and fractures , including injuries involving joints, nails, tendons, nerves and soft tissue.
Treatment chosen around function
Some problems benefit from splinting, hand therapy, modification of activity or an injection. Where surgery is appropriate, I explain what it can address, what may remain and how the rehabilitation affects the result. Preserving a joint or tendon can be valuable when appropriate, but a smaller operation is useful only if it adequately addresses the problem.
Return to work and rehabilitation
For selected smaller operations, light or modified duties may be feasible within two to three weeks, and sometimes sooner. That is not the same as full grip strength, unrestricted manual work or completion of healing. Tendon repairs, ligament reconstructions, fractures and tendon transfers often require substantially longer protection and supervised rehabilitation. We discuss the actual demands of your job and agree on restrictions for lifting, gripping, driving and tools. The procedure, wound healing, hand dominance and availability of modified duties determine the plan. I do not apply one recovery timetable to every hand operation.
Consultation and ongoing care
Bring relevant imaging, nerve studies, previous operation reports and a description of your work tasks. We discuss operative risks, including infection, nerve or tendon injury, scar sensitivity, stiffness, persistent symptoms and complex regional pain syndrome, as relevant to the procedure. Hand therapy and your participation in rehabilitation may be as important as the operation itself.
Related procedures
Your next step
A consultation allows us to assess your concerns and discuss appropriate treatment, recovery and risks.
Consultations in Essendon and Bundoora, Melbourne.
Book a consultationDr Brian Yue
Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon
FRACS MBBS BMedSci DipAnat