DH injured his ring finger on his right hand back in August in a biking accident. It wasn't a break but a soft tissue injury and you would not believe what a headache it has been! He is completely unable to straighten or bend it properly despite doing several months of intensive therapy. Thankfully he is able to still work. He is a right handed artist so that is pretty key!
The therapist doesn't see much of a future in therapy. His ligaments are just SO stiff due to scar tissue that despite some pretty aggressive techniques, it just doesn't seem to be improving and might actually be getting worse and stiffer. The therapist is similarly not sure that surgery is a good idea, partly because it is a very complicated surgery that doesn't always go right.
The surgeon has a different opinion. He thinks surgery could be successful and is pretty optimistic about it.
We are Kaiser patients and the OT and the Surgeon are both through Kaiser. Part of the reason for the OTs reluctance to recommend surgery is that all of the current surgeons are new and he isn't aware that any of the current surgeons have ever done the surgery that DH would need and that gives him pause. The therapist does not receive any additional compensation for continuing therapy with DH (he is paid a salary by Kaiser) so there isn't any reason for him to dissuade DH from surgery except he really doesn't know that it will be successful.
On the fat chance that anyone has dealt with a similar injury, I'm asking here but also to see if there is some kind of general guidance about making sure you get a GOOD surgeon? Or maybe dealing with Kaiser doctors at other facilities?
TIA!