[Surgical indications for hand wounds]

SURGICAL INDICATIONS FOR HAND WOUNDS. Hand injuries are common, with potentially severe consequences. When a patient is seen in the emergency department, a lesion assessment must be carried out to distinguish between extreme emergencies such as amputation or devascularization, which require immediate treatment in a specialized centre. If there is no immediate indication of seriousness, a clinical examination, possibly combined with meticulous exploration, helps to identify the lesions. The presence of tendon, nerve or vascular damage requires surgical management in the operating theatre. Any wound that cannot be reliably explored should be managed in the operating room by a hand surgeon.