Hand Surgery Questions

HAND SURGERY QUESTIONS?

DR IAN YUEN

MBBS BSc(Med) FRACS (Orth)

Orthopaedic Hand & Wrist Surgeon

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Doctor Ian Yuen can help answer all your hand surgery questions. He treats all conditions of the hand and wrist including microsurgery. He enjoys treating both acute and more chronic injuries of the hand, including fractures of the wrist, finger and hand and dislocations, tendon and nerve injuries,

Before your first appointment with Dr Ian Yuen you will need a current referral from your doctor.
On your first appointment please arrive 15 minutes early for registration.

Please bring any relevant

  • Test Results (x-rays and other scans)
  • A list of medications and allergies
  • Medicare or Veterans’ Affairs card
  • Health fund details

If you need to cancel an appointment please telephone the office as soon as possible on 02 8090 1249. 

There is a fee for your hand surgery consultation that needs to be paid on the day.  A portion of this fee can be claimed through Medicare.  To make the most of your time with Dr Yuen, we suggest you bring a list of questions or come with a friend or relative to help you remember what to ask and to remember what happens during your consultation.

A referral is needed to ensure Medicare Benefits are paid to you. You do not need a referral to see a specialist, but to claim the relevant Medicare rebate for the consultation a GP/Specialist referral is required. 

Can i take the dressing off?

Please leave them intact until your first post operative visit. If they accidentally become dirty or wet please call the rooms on 02 8090 1249.  Change of dressings depend on the type of surgery you have had. The first appointment after surgery will be arranged for you. Prior to discharge from hospital this appointment time will be .

What Can I Do with My Hand After Surgery?

Dr Yuen encourages all patients to keep their hand up as high as possible, positioned on some pillows or in a sling for the first 2-3 days. This will minimise pain and swelling.   After the first 2-3 days of elevation it is ok to use the hand for light activities (eg typing, writing and eating).  It is important to avoid getting the hand wet to minimise the risk of infection.

When Can I Start Driving?

It isn’t legal to drive for 24 hours after a general anaesthetic.  Make sure to organise for someone take you home.  There are a lot of factors to consider when you start driving after hand surgery. These factors generally relate to safety of yourself and others.  Please discuss this further with Dr Yuen either at your pre operative consultation or at your first post operative visit.  Please also note, your car insurer may not cover you if you are driving with a splint or cast on.

Hand therapy is an important aspect in your recovery and treatment for hand conditions.  To maximise function and outcome; splints, exercises, stretches and strengthening is required. 

For further information on Hand Therapy.

Hand surgery locations

Doctor Ian Yuen consults in Sydney. He is conveniently located in Macquarie University and Liverpool, Sydney, Australia.

Macquarie University

MACQUARIE HAND UNIT
Suite 403 Macquarie University Clinic
2 Technology Place
Macquarie University NSW 2109

Liverpool

SOUTH WEST SYDNEY ORTHOPAEDICS
Suite 2, Level 2
171 Bigge St
Liverpool NSW 2170

get in touch

We would love to hear from you, please contact us via details below

Hand Surgeon Dr Ian Yuen
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