Open surgery

With open surgery, the thickened tissue is removed. A zig-zag cut is used to do the work. The nerves may be pulled and rarely they are cut. So the finger is often numb temporarily, but sometimes the numbness is permanent. ¹²

The hand is more stiff and painful after surgery. You will need to do lots of exercises to work out the stiffness and swelling.

Figure: surgery

Advantages
- Suited for complex bends of multiple joints and fingers;
- The disease returns the slowest after surgery compared to other treatments.

Drawbacks
- Longer recovery time because there is more trauma to the hand;
- Greater risk of a nerve damage and wound problems;
- Scarring;
- After previous treatment, the procedure becomes more difficult to perform;
- Not all of the bumps are removed.