We’ve got it in hand

Our hands are remarkable. They are the tools through which we interact with the world – performing delicate movements, enabling strength, and shaping daily life. From a surgeon’s perspective, hands are not only vital to patients’ quality of life but also demand the utmost precision during surgical care.

When hand injuries occur – whether through trauma, fractures, or dislocations – restoring form and function requires a careful balance of stability, accuracy, and gentleness. The challenge is to hold the hand still enough to heal, while respecting its natural complexity and mobility.

Fixation and stability in hand surgery

Kirschner wires (K-wires) are among the most commonly used devices in hand surgery. These slender stainless-steel pins provide temporary internal fixation for fractured bones and dislocated joints, particularly in the hand and fingers.

Inserted under local or general anaesthetic, K-wires are typically left in place for several weeks. During this period, they stabilise fragments of bone, allowing them to heal in correct alignment. The wires often protrude slightly through the skin, enabling safe removal in a clinic setting once the fracture has healed.

This simple, cost-effective method of fixation has stood the test of time, playing a crucial role in helping patients regain hand function after injury. At Surgical Holdings, we manufacture sterile, single-packed K-wires in-house in our UK facility, ensuring traceability, safety, and convenience for hospitals and patients alike.

The importance of immobilisation

In both surgery and rehabilitation, immobilisation is key to recovery. Traditional hand immobilisers have often been made with lead – raising concerns about weight, safety, and radiological imaging. Even some of the most recent alternatives continue to rely on lead components and when they eventually break, lead is exposed

The Chirobloc Hand Immobiliser offers a modern solution: radiolucent, lead-free, and lightweight, while still providing the stability required in theatre or recovery. By enabling clear imaging without unnecessary weight or contamination risks, it supports both surgical precision and patient care.

Precision Tools in the Surgeon’s Hand for the Hand

Of course, the success of hand surgery also relies on the instruments themselves. For over 180 years, STILLE instruments have been crafted with an unrivalled focus on balance, tactile feedback, and precision. Often described by surgeons as an “extension of the hand,” STILLE tools allow delicate, fatigue-free movements during complex procedures.

From microsurgery to reconstructive and plastic hand surgery, the right instruments are essential for accuracy and consistency. With their feather-light feel and ergonomic design, STILLE instruments embody the artistry and science of surgery – helping restore the function of one of the body’s most extraordinary structures: the hand.

Why it matters

Hand injuries affect everything from our ability to work, create, and communicate, to our independence in everyday tasks. Surgical innovation – from the way we immobilise, to the wires we fix with, to the tools surgeons hold – is ultimately about restoring that independence and quality of life.

At Surgical Holdings, we’re committed to supporting surgeons in this mission, combining precision engineering with innovation to deliver solutions that improve both practice and outcomes. Because when it comes to the hand, every detail matters.