Dr. Raymond Noellert diagnosed her with a trigger finger, a condition in which one of the fingers gets stuck in a bent position. He recommended non-surgical options such as using a wrist wrap and other correcting options.
When those interventions didn't alleviate her pain, Brand was ready to consider surgical intervention. Dr. Noellert recommended Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT), a surgical technique that uses local anesthesia and hemostatic agents to stop bleeding, allowing patients to remain awake and pain-free during the innovative procedure. In most cases, the patient can drive to and from the surgery, and without dietary restrictions the night before the procedure.
Since a patient is awake during the procedure, it helps them to recover faster and experience less pain during and after the procedure. Brand states that she “was awake, felt no pain and did not see any blood,” while her surgery was being performed.
“This was a wonderful type of surgery and you could ask questions, talk, and go home after,” said Brand. “If he recommends surgery, you can feel completely confident.” After follow-up appointments regarding her surgery, Brand returned to doing activities she loves, such as gardening and being outdoors.
To learn more about the services available at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola Hand Center, click here. For more information, call 850-746-0600.