Using Special Expertise to Diagnose and Treat
Disorders of the Hand

The functions and uses of the hand are plentiful and varied. From the moment we rise in the morning until we retire at night, our hands are in constant motion. The hand is a unique area of the human body that is made up of bone, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves, skin, and blood vessels. These elements must all be in good working order for the hand to function well.

The relationship between all these structures is delicate and refined. An injury or disease can affect any or all of these structures and impair the use of the hand. Accurate diagnosis and treatment of hand injuries requires the expertise of a qualified hand surgeon who is trained to diagnose and treat all problems related to the different structures in the hand, wrist, and forearm.

Through New London Hospital’s affiliation with Concord Orthopaedics Professional Association, we are pleased to offer our community this special expertise provided by Anthony Mollano, MD. As a hand surgeon, Dr. Mollano has received specialized additional training in the treatment of hand problems beyond his board certified specialty training in orthopaedic surgery.

Common problems in the area of hand disorders include:

• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis, commonly known as tennis elbow, is a painful condition involving the tendons that attach to the bone on the outside part of the elbow)
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (compression of a nerve as it goes through the wrist, often making your fingers feel numb)
• Dupuytren's contracture (a hereditary thickening of the tough tissue that lies just below the skin of your palm)
• Osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear arthritis, which can also cause deformity)
• Tendinitis (irritation of the tendons)
• Trigger Finger (an irritation of the sheath that surrounds the flexor tendons, sometimes causing the tendon to catch and release like a trigger)
• Wrist pain, sports injuries of the hand and wrist, fractures of the hand, wrist and forearm.
• Arthritis, nerve and tendon injuries, and congenital limb differences (birth defects).

Not all problems treated by a hand surgeon need surgery. Hand surgeons often recommend non-surgical treatments, such as medication, splints, therapy or injections. If you have pain in your fingers, hand, wrist or arm, or if you have other upper-extremity related concerns, speak with your primary provider about a possible referral to a hand surgeon.

Dr. Mollano is a graduate of the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, and a fellowship in hand surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, NY. His clinical interests include hand tendon and elbow biceps repair surgery, hand and arm nerve repair surgery, fracture surgery of the hand, wrist and elbow, pediatric hand surgery and hand/arm overuse and work related-conditions.

Click here to read about Anthony Mollano, MD.

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