Start with the function you want back, not the procedure name
Hand tendon repair treats damaged tendons, and follow-up therapy may form part of the individual care plan. That single sentence hides most of what you need to decide. Tendons move fingers; the repair is only useful if the finger can glide again. So the first consent question is not 'which technique will you use?' but 'what function are we trying to restore, and how will we know whether it is working?'
Describe the tasks that matter to you: gripping a cup, typing, holding a tool, dressing, caring for a child. Ask the surgeon to translate those goals into measurable targets, such as active range of motion at a named joint or the ability to oppose thumb and little finger. If the team cannot state a functional target, the consent discussion is incomplete.
Ask who will decide when therapy starts and how it changes. The surgeon may operate, but a hand therapist often guides the exercise progression. You need to know whether the same hospital provides that therapy, whether it is inpatient or outpatient, and who is responsible for adjusting the plan if progress stalls.
This is also where you clarify what the operation cannot promise. No surgeon can guarantee full movement after tendon repair. Ask what limitations are realistic for your injury pattern and what would count as a good result for you.
Ask how surgery, hand therapy and follow-up will be sequenced for your case
Sequence matters more than any single decision. Ask the team to walk through the order of events: assessment, imaging or exploration, the repair itself, the first therapy session, the first review, and the point at which the plan is reassessed. Write the sequence down and read it back to them.
Ask specifically whether therapy begins before or after you leave hospital, and whether it is supervised or home-based. The answer depends on the repair, the tendon involved and the surgeon's protocol, so it must come from the treating team, not from a general guide. If the hospital cannot provide the therapy it recommends, ask how it will arrange that and who will monitor you.
Follow-up is the part overseas patients can under-plan. Ask how many reviews are expected, what happens at each, and whether any can be done remotely with your local clinician. If remote review is possible, ask what records or measurements you must send and who will interpret them.
Ask what would trigger a change in plan: increased pain, reduced movement, a wound problem, or a missed therapy session. You are not asking for a diagnosis; you are asking how the team monitors progress and what you should report.
Confirm what your injury records actually show
Consent should rest on records the surgeon has seen, not on your memory of the accident. Ask which documents the team has reviewed and which are still missing. Useful items may include the original injury note, operation records from any previous surgery, imaging reports, and a clear description of current movement and sensation.
If a record is missing, ask whether it changes the plan or whether the team can proceed and confirm findings during surgery. Do not assume that an incomplete file means you must delay care, and do not assume it is irrelevant. Ask the surgeon to state, in plain terms, what is known, what is uncertain, and what will be checked during the operation.
Bring records in a format the hospital can read. Ask whether it needs translated summaries, original images, or both. If you are sending records ahead, ask who reviews them and whether that review produces a written opinion or only a verbal impression.
A records-based opinion is not the same as an in-person assessment. It can clarify options and prepare questions, but it does not confirm final suitability or the exact repair until the surgeon examines you.
Ask what the consent form does and does not cover
A consent form records that you agreed to a described procedure. It does not explain the alternatives, the therapy plan, or what happens if the repair fails. Ask the team to attach or reference the written plan you discussed, including the intended procedure, the approach, and any planned grafts or transfers.
Ask about the alternatives: non-surgical management, a different repair technique, staged surgery, or referral to another specialist. You do not need to choose immediately, but you should know why the proposed option is preferred for your injury.
Ask about restrictions after surgery: what you must not do, for how long, and who will tell you when restrictions change. Do not accept a general answer such as 'follow the therapist's advice' without knowing who that therapist is and how to reach them.
Finally, ask what happens if you decide not to proceed. You can pause, seek another opinion, or return home for local care. Consent is voluntary, and a recent injury should not wait for an overseas trip.
Put the practical arrangements in writing before you agree
Ask for a written summary that names the planned procedure, the expected sequence of surgery and therapy, the follow-up schedule, and the main risks and alternatives discussed. This is not a contract; it is a record you can check against what you were told.
Confirm who your main contacts are: the surgeon, the hand therapist, and the ward or clinic staff. Ask how to reach them with questions before and after the operation, and in what language. If interpretation is needed, ask how it will be arranged for consent, therapy and follow-up.
Ask what the hospital's written estimate includes and excludes, and what would change it. Do not rely on a verbal figure. If you are using a coordination service, keep its fees separate from hospital charges and ask what each covers.
If any step cannot be confirmed before you travel, ask what can be confirmed remotely and what must wait until you are assessed in person. A provisional plan is useful; it is not a promise of acceptance or a fixed outcome.
What a reply confirms, and what it does not
When the team replies, check that it answers the questions you actually asked. A reply that confirms an appointment does not confirm suitability for surgery, the final repair plan, or the therapy schedule. A reply that describes a technique does not confirm that it is available for your case or that it will restore your function.
If a reply is vague, ask a narrower question. For example, instead of 'what is the recovery plan?', ask 'when does the first supervised therapy session happen, who provides it, and what movement is allowed at that point?' Narrow questions produce usable answers.
If a step cannot be completed, ask what the fallback is. If the hospital cannot provide hand therapy, ask for a referral or a plan you can follow with a local therapist. If records cannot be obtained, ask whether the surgeon can proceed and confirm during surgery. If you cannot travel, ask whether a records-based opinion can guide local care.
An initial enquiry with ChinaSpecialistCare is free and does not require buying a proxy consultation. The team can help clarify records, request a specialist appointment, or arrange interpretation, but clinical assessment, suitability and the final plan belong to the treating hospital and licensed clinicians. The hospital decides whether to accept you.
Sources & scope of this guide
References and official service information relevant to this guide.
This is general planning information and has not been individually reviewed by a doctor. Medical decisions and personal treatment advice come from your treating clinicians.