Dr. Youssra Marjoua is a Hand Specialist in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr. Marjoua is a board-certified orthopedic hand surgeon who specializes in conditions of the hand, wrist, and elbow. After obtaining her medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine, her orthopedic residency at the Harvard Orthopedic Residency Program, and her public policy degree at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Dr. Marjoua then completed an upper extremity and microsurgery fellowship at the prestigious Curtis National Hand Center.
Why is there a hand subspecialty in orthopedics?
Orthopedic surgery, also referred to as orthopedics, is a branch of surgery concerned with conditions of the musculoskeletal system. Generally, orthopedics focuses on all conditions that involve bone, muscle, nerves, arteries, tendons etc.
Hand and upper extremity specialists focus on the anatomy and the associated conditions of the hand, wrist, and elbow. This includes chronic conditions such as overuse injuries and arthritis, as well as acute injuries such as fractures, ligamentous injuries, tendon injuries, and nerve injuries.
For patients who are experiencing issues with their hand, what is the importance of seeing a dedicated hand specialist?
The hand is a very complicated and sophisticated structure. There are some common hand injuries that general practitioners are familiar with and are comfortable diagnosing. However, there are also injuries and diagnoses that are less common, less apparent, and require a greater depth of knowledge for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a provider that has expert knowledge in the hand and upper extremity.
Hand specialists have the expertise, familiarity with the scope of hand injuries, and the index of suspicion that allows them to recognize less common and less apparent injuries. This enables them to treat patients early to maximize functional outcomes, and as a result, mitigate the potential need for a salvage procedure in the future.
When hand, wrist, and elbow injuries are identified and diagnosed in a timely manner, this can positively change the patient’s outcome. Hand and upper extremity experts are most proficient at treating these issues by virtue of focusing mostly, if not only on the anatomy of the hand and upper extremity.
Additionally, the ability to function effectively in daily work, activities and general interaction is highly dependent on the use of our hands regardless of our occupation, family composition, or general responsibilities. To have a potentially missed or inaccurately diagnosed injury carries a great risk of morbidity and limitation in work and activities of daily living—making it definitively worthwhile to consider going directly to a hand and upper extremity specialist.
When should a patient visit a hand specialist in Baltimore?
Hand injuries that require more acute intervention are typically fractures and dislocations, open injuries and lacerations, nerve injuries, vascular injuries, tendon injuries, and other trauma to the hand.
Patients experiencing any pain, numbness, and/or tingling in the hand should also consult with a hand specialist in a timely manner, to confirm their diagnosis and potential treatment (either surgical or non-surgical) in order to help prevent further discomfort, further nerve injury, and potentially irreversible damage.
More chronic hand pain issues such as arthritic conditions should be assessed early on by a hand specialist in order to manage the changes conservatively and potentially delay the need for surgical intervention.
What are the most common hand issues seen in Dr. Marjoua’s practice?
- Hand, wrist, and elbow fractures
- Tendon and nerve injuries
- Arthritis (degenerative osteoarthritis) and/or Rheumatoid Arthritis (inflammatory arthritis) either due to use or an underlying inflammatory condition. These can involve all elements of the wrist, hand, and elbow.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a nerve problem (often mistaken for an arthritic problem) involving compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel of the hand. This can lead to numbness and tingling mostly in the thumb, index, and middle finger and half of the ring finger.
- Other compressive neuropathies which can lead to weakness, numbness, and/or clawing of the hand including cubital tunnel syndrome. This involves compression of the ulnar nerve most commonly at the elbow and leads to numbness and tingling in half of the ring finger and small finger
- Trigger Finger – a condition in which one of your fingers (or multiple) gets stuck in a bent position, or “clicks” in a painful manner.
- Tendonitis-type injuries including De Quervain’s tenosynovitis – a painful condition that affects the tendon sheath on the thumb side of the wrist, and can result in pain with grasping, pulling, and gripping activities.
- Tennis Elbow and golfer’s elbow – pain on the outside of the elbow and inside respectively. It is often caused by the repetitive wrist and arm lifting or motion. It is often aggravated with resisted activities with the elbow straight and wrist bent.
- Cysts and masses
- Dupuytren’s disease
What should patients expect when they come in for an initial consult with Dr. Marjoua?
Patients consulting with Dr. Marjoua should expect a very sincere and compassionate experience, with a specialist who takes great pride in the personal and unique care of each of her patients. A comprehensive medical history will be taken, and a physical exam will be performed in order to fully understand the diagnosis.
A clear and detailed explanation of injury or condition and how it could be treated will be presented, including the risks and benefits of operative and non-operative treatment options. Oftentimes, Dr. Marjoua will illustrate a pictorial of the patient’s hand injury or condition to take home with them, in order to reflect on and better understand the diagnosis and treatment options and share with their family.
She’ll then provide a clear management of expectations of treatment, including potential post-operative recovery, rehabilitation, and general care.
Why choose Dr. Marjoua as your hand specialist in Baltimore?
Dr. Marjoua believes that a hand surgeon is a hand specialist before they are a surgeon. As a hand surgeon in Baltimore, she is an expert of the hand as a result of her devoted training and education in the U.S. and abroad, along with her experience treating hand, wrist, and elbow conditions both surgically and non-surgically.
The primary goal of seeing a dedicated hand and upper extremity surgeon is not to be prepared to commit to surgery, but rather to receive an accurate diagnosis, to understand the cause of the condition, and to learn both the surgical and non-surgical treatment options. A qualified hand surgeon will also equip you with the resources for managing your injury, your recovery, and return to function. Dr. Marjoua is committed to ensuring your comprehensive visit will result in an accurate diagnosis and a clear plan of care.
Consulting with Dr. Marjoua is consulting with a hand specialist first and foremost. That consultation allows for the beginning of a dialogue about how best to treat you and your condition.