The hand is the most used and most exposed part of the body. When something goes wrong in the hand, wrist, elbow, or forearm — whether from an injury, a gradual overuse condition, or a nerve problem progressing quietly for months — even the simplest daily tasks become difficult. Dr. Ankit Chaudhari at Ashirwad Hospital provides dedicated hand and upper limb surgery covering the full spectrum, from carpal tunnel syndrome to complex wrist fracture fixation.
Hand and upper limb surgery is the branch of orthopaedics specialising in the treatment of conditions affecting the hands, fingers, thumbs, wrists, forearms, elbows, and their associated nerves, tendons, blood vessels, and bones. It covers a range that extends from the fingernail bed to the shoulder, treating both acute injuries — fractures, tendon lacerations, dislocations — and chronic or progressive conditions such as nerve entrapment, arthritis, and degenerative tendon changes.
In a city like Surat, where a significant portion of the working population is employed in textile manufacturing, diamond polishing, construction, and other occupations requiring sustained hand use, the incidence of hand and wrist conditions is genuinely higher than the national average. Carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, De Quervain's tenosynovitis, and wrist fractures from falls make up a substantial proportion of the orthopedic consultations at Ashirwad Hospital in Surat.
The service is also relevant to domestic workers, drivers, teachers, healthcare workers, and anyone whose job involves repetitive gripping, pinching, typing, or vibration exposure — occupations that load the tendons, nerves, and small joints of the hand cumulatively over years.
Dr. Chaudhari follows a conservative-first approach. Carpal tunnel injection, trigger finger injection, and De Quervain's injection are not inferior alternatives to surgery — they are the right first treatment for many patients. Surgery is recommended only when conservative management has genuinely failed, or when the clinical picture indicates it is necessary from the outset.
Patients searching for a hand surgeon near them in Surat find very limited individual specialist options with dedicated, condition-specific information. Ashirwad Hospital is different for the following reasons:
Within the L.P. Savani Road and Adajan area, Ashirwad Hospital is the specifically established facility for hand and upper limb conditions — not a general hospital where orthopaedics is one of many departments. Dr. Chaudhari covers the complete upper limb from fingertip to shoulder.
The diagnostics and imaging centre at Ashirwad Hospital provides X-ray, ultrasound, and MRI in the same visit, so most patients leave their first appointment with a clear diagnosis and a treatment plan rather than a list of tests to arrange elsewhere.
Carpal tunnel injection, trigger finger injection, and De Quervain's injection are not inferior alternatives to surgery — they are the right first treatment for many patients. Surgery is recommended only when conservative management has genuinely failed or the clinical picture demands it.
Hand numbness and weakness can originate from a cervical disc rather than the wrist. Dr. Chaudhari's access to the spine surgery service at Ashirwad Hospital means the correct anatomical level is identified before any nerve decompression is recommended — a distinction that saves patients from unnecessary surgery.
No hand or wrist procedure at Ashirwad Hospital is scheduled without a thorough pre-operative conversation about what the surgery involves, what recovery requires, and what outcome to realistically expect. Patients are never walked into a procedure they did not fully understand.
The hand and upper limb service works alongside paediatric orthopedics for congenital hand deformities in children, trauma care for acute injuries, and non-surgical treatments for PRP and injection therapies — all under one roof.
Dr. Ankit Chaudhari covers the full range of conditions affecting the hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow — acute injuries and chronic conditions alike. Select a category below to learn more:
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common nerve entrapment condition in the upper limb and one of the most frequently diagnosed hand conditions at Ashirwad Hospital in Surat. It occurs when the median nerve — which passes through the carpal tunnel, a narrow channel in the wrist — is compressed by swelling of the surrounding tendons, fluid retention, or anatomical narrowing.
Classic symptoms: Numbness, tingling, or burning sensation in the thumb, index, middle, and half of the ring finger; symptoms worst at night; dropping objects; difficulty with fine tasks such as buttoning a shirt or typing. In severe or long-standing cases, visible wasting of the thenar muscles at the base of the thumb.
Non-surgical treatment: Wrist splinting at night, steroid injection into the carpal tunnel, ergonomic adjustments, and management of contributing conditions (hypothyroidism, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis). Surgical treatment: When conservative management fails or the condition is severe, carpal tunnel release surgery is performed as a short day-case procedure under local anaesthesia. The transverse carpal ligament is divided, immediately releasing pressure on the median nerve. Nighttime symptoms typically resolve within the first two weeks; full grip strength returns over 4 to 12 weeks.
Cubital tunnel syndrome is the entrapment of the ulnar nerve at the elbow — the second most common nerve entrapment of the upper limb. Symptoms affect the ring and little fingers (the ulnar nerve distribution — differentiating it from carpal tunnel, which affects the thumb, index, and middle fingers), cause pain on the inner side of the elbow when the elbow is kept bent for prolonged periods, and in advanced cases cause visible wasting of the small hand muscles and a "claw hand" posture of the ring and little fingers.
Non-surgical management involves an elbow extension splint worn at night and activity modification. When symptoms are severe, progressive, or not responding to conservative management, surgical decompression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow — or transposition of the nerve to the front of the elbow — is performed at Ashirwad Hospital in Surat.
Trigger finger is a condition in which the tendon sheath surrounding one of the flexor tendons in the finger or thumb becomes thickened and inflamed, causing the tendon to catch or lock when the finger bends and straightens. The finger may snap or click and may become stuck in a bent position, requiring the other hand to straighten it. It is most common in the thumb, ring finger, and middle finger, and is more prevalent in diabetic patients, women aged 40 to 60, and workers who perform sustained gripping.
Conservative management begins with a steroid injection into the tendon sheath at the base of the affected finger, which resolves the condition in a significant proportion of cases. When injections fail or the finger is locked, surgical trigger finger release is performed under local anaesthesia as an outpatient procedure — the A1 pulley is divided, freeing the tendon to glide smoothly again. The procedure takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes and patients begin hand therapy the following day.
De Quervain's is inflammation of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist — the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis. Pain and swelling on the thumb side worsens with gripping, pinching, or turning the wrist. New mothers develop this condition frequently (historically called "mother's wrist"), as do workers performing sustained pinch-and-twist movements. The Finkelstein test — making a fist over the thumb and bending the wrist toward the little finger side — confirms the diagnosis sharply. Treatment begins with a wrist-thumb splint and anti-inflammatory medication; cortisone injection into the tendon sheath is highly effective in most cases. Surgical release of the first dorsal compartment is performed when injection fails.
A cut or laceration to the hand followed by inability to bend or straighten a finger — particularly if the wound is on the palm side of the finger or wrist — should be assessed at Ashirwad Hospital in Surat on the same day. Tendon ends that have retracted need surgical repair within a defined time window, after which repair quality deteriorates. Flexor tendon repair is performed under magnification through a precise zone-based approach. Post-operative hand therapy begins early — within days — using a protected mobilisation protocol that prevents adhesion formation while allowing the tendon to begin regaining glide.
Mallet finger — rupture or avulsion of the terminal extensor at the fingertip — is frequently undertreated, leading to a permanently dropped fingertip if not managed with appropriate splinting or surgical repair started promptly.
Wrist fractures — specifically fractures of the distal radius, the lower end of the forearm bone forming part of the wrist joint — are among the most common fractures seen at Ashirwad Hospital in Surat. They typically result from a fall on an outstretched hand, are common in older adults with osteoporosis, and also occur in younger people following sports impacts or road accidents.
The classic Colles' fracture, Smith's fractures, Barton's fractures, and complex comminuted distal radius fractures are all managed through the trauma and fracture care at Ashirwad Hospital.
Stable fractures with acceptable alignment are managed with a plaster cast for 4 to 6 weeks, followed by hand therapy to restore movement and grip strength. Displaced or unstable fractures require surgical reduction and fixation. The modern standard is volar locking plate fixation — a low-profile titanium plate applied through an incision on the front of the wrist, which holds the bone securely and allows early movement, dramatically shortening rehabilitation compared to prolonged casting alone.
The scaphoid is a small carpal bone frequently fractured in falls on an outstretched hand — and the most commonly missed fracture in emergency medicine. A patient who has "sprained their wrist" but continues to have pain in the anatomical snuffbox (the hollow on the thumb side of the wrist) 10 to 14 days after an injury may have an undisplaced scaphoid fracture invisible on the initial X-ray.
This matters because the scaphoid has a notoriously poor blood supply, and fractures not diagnosed and immobilised promptly may progress to avascular necrosis — permanent bone death — requiring much more complex reconstruction later. Dr. Chaudhari at Ashirwad Hospital uses MRI as the standard investigation for suspected scaphoid fractures when the initial X-ray is negative. Undisplaced fractures are managed with casting for 8 to 12 weeks. Displaced fractures are treated with a cannulated headless compression screw inserted through a small incision.
The diagnostics and imaging centre at Ashirwad Hospital provides digital X-ray, CT, and MRI for wrist fracture assessment in the same visit.
Dupuytren's contracture is a condition where fibrous tissue in the palm gradually thickens and contracts, pulling one or more fingers into a permanently bent position. It begins as a painless nodule or pit in the palm, most commonly at the base of the ring or little finger, and slowly draws the finger toward the palm over months to years. It is more common in men, in those over 50, in patients with diabetes, and in those with a family history of the condition. It is not caused by hand use.
Treatment is considered when the contracture reaches or exceeds 30 degrees — the point at which the finger cannot lie flat on a table. Options include:
Dr. Chaudhari discusses the most appropriate option based on severity of contracture, number of fingers involved, patient age, and preference for recovery timeline.
A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled swelling that arises from a joint or tendon sheath, most commonly on the back of the wrist (dorsal ganglion) or the front of the wrist near the thumb (volar ganglion). It is the most common lump seen in the hand and wrist and is entirely benign.
Many patients notice a ganglion as a soft to firm rounded swelling that changes in size over time — larger after activity, smaller after rest. Most ganglia are painless. Treatment is not required if the cyst is painless and not interfering with function. Options when treatment is wanted include aspiration (withdrawing the fluid through a needle — simple but with a moderate recurrence rate) or surgical excision of the cyst along with its root (lower recurrence, requires a small incision and a short recovery).
Both osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear) and inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid, psoriatic) affect the small joints of the hand — the DIP joints (end knuckles), PIP joints (middle knuckles), the base of the thumb (CMC joint), and the wrist joint — with significant impact on grip strength, pinch, and fine motor control.
The thumb CMC joint (basal joint arthritis) is a particularly common and painful condition in Surat, causing deep pain at the base of the thumb with all pinching and gripping activities. Treatment begins with a thumb spica splint and steroid injection. Surgical options for advanced thumb CMC arthritis include trapeziectomy — removal of the trapezium bone and reconstruction using a tendon — which reliably relieves pain and improves function.
Wrist arthritis management is coordinated through non-surgical orthopedic treatment options at Ashirwad Hospital, progressing to surgical options including wrist denervation, proximal row carpectomy, wrist fusion, or total wrist replacement for appropriate cases.
Tennis elbow is pain on the outer side of the elbow caused by degeneration of the extensor tendon at its attachment to the lateral epicondyle. Despite the name, it affects far more people who have never played tennis than those who have — it is extremely common in Surat's working population due to sustained forearm and wrist use. Treatment begins with rest, physiotherapy, a forearm brace, and steroid injection. PRP injection through the non-surgical orthopedic treatment options service has good evidence for chronic cases. Surgery is reserved for refractory cases after 6 months of conservative management.
A similar condition on the inner side of the elbow affecting the flexor-pronator mass. More common in labourers, golfers, and those who use sustained wrist flexion. Management mirrors the lateral epicondylitis pathway — physiotherapy, injection, and surgery as a last resort.
Olecranon fractures (the tip of the elbow), radial head fractures, and distal humerus fractures are managed through the trauma and fracture care at Ashirwad Hospital service. Complex elbow fractures requiring open reduction and internal fixation or total elbow replacement are assessed individually by Dr. Chaudhari.
Beyond carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome, other nerve conditions affecting the upper limb include:
Often from a fracture of the humerus or prolonged external compression (Saturday night palsy), causing weakness of wrist and finger extension. Most cases recover with time, but nerve repair or tendon transfers may be needed for persistent palsy.
A branch of the median nerve causing isolated weakness of thumb and index finger pinch — a subtle presentation that is easily missed if the examiner tests grip rather than isolated pinch strength.
Complex injuries of the network of nerves supplying the entire arm — most commonly from severe road traffic accidents or birth-related traction injuries. These require specialist assessment and potentially lengthy surgical reconstruction over months. Dr. Chaudhari coordinates management appropriately and determines whether nerve grafting, nerve transfer, or tendon transfer is the most appropriate reconstructive option.
Compression of the brachial plexus and/or subclavian vessels between the collarbone and first rib, causing pain, numbness, and vascular symptoms in the arm. Assessment includes clinical examination, nerve conduction studies, and vascular imaging where indicated.
Surat's economy places specific orthopedic demands on its working population. If your hand, wrist, or elbow problem began or worsened after an occupational demand like those below, describing that context to Dr. Chaudhari at the Ashirwad Hospital Surat consultation will help ensure the assessment accounts for return-to-work requirements.
Develop carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and De Quervain's tenosynovitis at high rates from sustained grip and repeated wrist motion. Vibration-related nerve damage from power looms is also documented.
Work in sustained fine pinch postures, predisposing them to thumb CMC arthritis, trigger finger, and median nerve compression from sustained tool pressure. One of the highest-risk occupational groups in Surat for hand conditions.
Sustain acute hand and wrist injuries from machinery, heavy objects, and falls, as well as chronic lateral epicondylitis from sustained hammering and material handling. High risk for wrist fractures and tendon lacerations.
Develop De Quervain's tenosynovitis, trigger finger, and wrist arthritis from sustained domestic activities including cooking, cleaning, washing, and childcare. New mothers are particularly prone to De Quervain's.
Experience carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to sustained grip on the wheel, and are at risk of wrist and forearm fractures in road traffic accidents. Vibration exposure from certain vehicle types compounds nerve loading.
Develop carpal tunnel syndrome from sustained typing and mouse use, lateral epicondylitis from repeated arm positioning, and De Quervain's from sustained mobile phone use — increasingly common across Surat's growing office sector.
Most people wait longer than they should before seeing a hand specialist. The following symptoms indicate that a consultation at Ashirwad Hospital in Surat is appropriate — and in some cases, urgent:
A significant proportion of hand and upper limb procedures at Ashirwad Hospital in Surat are performed under local anaesthesia as day-case procedures — meaning the patient comes in, has the procedure, and goes home the same day. This applies to carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, De Quervain's release, and ganglion excision. These procedures involve minimal disruption to the patient's schedule and carry very low anaesthetic risk.
More complex procedures — wrist fracture fixation with locking plates, tendon repairs, elbow surgery, and nerve transposition — are performed under regional anaesthesia (a nerve block that numbs the arm) or general anaesthesia, and may require a short overnight stay. Dr. Chaudhari will explain the anaesthesia approach appropriate for your specific procedure during the pre-operative consultation.
Dr. Chaudhari examines the hand, wrist, and elbow systematically. Specific clinical tests — Tinel's sign, Phalen's test, Finkelstein's test, Froment's sign — are used to localise the condition precisely without relying solely on imaging.
X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI through the diagnostics and imaging centre at Ashirwad Hospital. For wrist fractures, digital X-ray is the first step; CT is added for complex intra-articular fractures; MRI is used for suspected scaphoid fractures when the X-ray is negative.
For most conditions — carpal tunnel, trigger finger, De Quervain's, tennis elbow — conservative management is the first step. Injections are offered in clinic as minor outpatient procedures. Splints, physiotherapy, and ergonomic guidance are prescribed as appropriate.
No procedure is scheduled without a thorough pre-operative conversation about what the surgery involves, what recovery requires, and what outcome to realistically expect. Anaesthesia type, duration, post-operative restrictions, and return-to-work timeline are all discussed before the patient makes any decision.
The hand is unique in orthopaedics in the central role that post-operative therapy plays in the final outcome. At Ashirwad Hospital in Surat, post-operative rehabilitation is structured into every surgical treatment plan rather than added as an afterthought. A specific therapy protocol is provided for each procedure.
The hand is unique in orthopaedics: a technically excellent repair can still produce a poor functional result without appropriate and timely hand therapy. At Ashirwad Hospital in Surat, rehabilitation is structured into every surgical treatment plan. Below are the recovery milestones for the most common procedures.
Wound care, gentle finger movement, no heavy grip. Nighttime tingling typically begins to improve within days.
Scar desensitisation begins. Gradual resumption of light daily activities. Most patients notice significantly reduced or resolved nighttime symptoms.
Return to most daily activities. Grip strength improving steadily. Driving and light work typically possible.
Full grip strength recovery. Scar maturation ongoing. Return to heavy grip work and full occupational activity.
Finger movement encouraged. Wrist protected in a splint. Elevation to reduce swelling. Pain is well controlled with standard medication.
Supervised wrist range-of-motion exercises begin. Wound review and suture removal if applicable.
Progressive strengthening. X-ray confirms fracture healing. Most patients have returned to desk work and daily activities.
Most patients have returned to work and full daily activity. Heavy labour and full grip strength restoration may take 4 to 6 months.
After trigger finger release: active finger flexion and extension exercises begin immediately. The catching or locking resolves at once.
Return to most hand activities after trigger finger release. Wound well healed. Scar massage begins.
Full function typically restored after trigger finger release. Tennis elbow surgery: light activities resumed.
Flexor tendon repair: specific protected mobilisation protocol provided in writing for each patient. Monitored closely at weekly outpatient reviews during the early weeks to ensure glide is maintained without rupture risk.
Dr. Ankit Chaudhari is the lead orthopedic and upper limb specialist at Ashirwad Hospital, Surat. His clinical focus includes carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist fractures, tendon injuries, elbow conditions, nerve entrapment, Dupuytren's contracture, and congenital hand deformities in children — managed through both surgical and non-surgical pathways.
Dr. Chaudhari provides the assessment, imaging, and treatment — surgical and non-surgical — to give you a clear answer and a clear plan. No hand or wrist procedure is scheduled without a thorough pre-operative conversation about what the surgery involves, what recovery requires, and what outcome to realistically expect. For Dr. Chaudhari's qualifications and the hospital's background, visit the about page.
Ashirwad Hospital is a dedicated orthopedic hospital in Surat with a comprehensive range of services for all bone, joint, and soft tissue conditions:
Easily accessible from Adajan, Pal, Vesu, Bhatar, City Light, Athwa, and across Surat city. Patients also travel for hand and upper limb surgery from Bharuch, Navsari, Tapi, and Valsad. For hand and wrist injuries — lacerations, fractures, suspected tendon cuts — contact the hospital immediately rather than waiting for a scheduled slot.
| Monday – Saturday | 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM |
| Sunday | By prior appointment or emergency only |
Tendon injuries in particular need assessment on the day of injury to ensure the repair window is not missed. For appointments, visit the contact page or call directly.
Ashirwad Hospital provides specialized orthopedic care with modern facilities, expert surgeons, and patient-focused healing.
3rd Floor, Vision Business Hub Opposite Shell Petrol Pump, L.P. Savani Road, Adajan, Surat, 395009