Hand Trauma Prevention Group

FESSH HAND TRAUMA PREVENTION Special Interest Group

Advancing Knowledge, Collaboration, and Prevention in Hand Trauma

Welcome

Hand trauma is one of the most frequent causes of emergency hand surgery worldwide.

These injuries can lead to long-term disability, loss of function, and reduced quality of life—yet many are preventable.

The FESSH Hand Trauma Prevention Group is dedicated to reducing the incidence and severity of traumatic hand injuries through research, education, and collaboration.

Why We Exist

Hand trauma poses unique challenges that demand both clinical expertise and proactive prevention.

Our group was formed to:

• Promote research and innovation in hand trauma prevention.
• Provide a platform for knowledge exchange among professionals.
• Encourage collaborative efforts across disciplines and borders.
• Support awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to reduce risks.

The Impact of Hand Trauma

• Leading cause of sick leave:Hand trauma is the number one reason for absence from work following occupational accidents.
• High incidence:Each year, an estimated 8 million accidents occur in Europe.
• Economic burden:Health care costs (surgery, rehabilitation, hospitalisation) account for only about 20% of total expenses, while financial compensation for sick leave and long-term sequelae represents 80%.
• Unequal distribution:Work-related hand trauma incidence varies widely across European countries, ranging from 25% to 60%.
• Prevention potential:Efficient prevention programs in the workplace can reduce hand trauma by up to 50%.
• Everyday risks:The lack of prevention in daily life activities remains a major and alarming concern.

Our Current Projects

• Domestic Injuries – Raising awareness and education for injury prevention at home.
• Scaphoid “Non-Union” Prevention – Improving diagnosis and treatment strategies to avoid long-term complications.
• Firework Injuries – Campaigns and materials to reduce seasonal and celebratory trauma.
• Avoiding Errors in Care – Focused on reducing mistakes in diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare through education and best practices.

Hand Trauma Prevention Meetings

We regularly gather to share knowledge, strengthen collaborations, and advance prevention strategies.

• Seventh Meeting – Plovdiv, Bulgaria (19–22 October 2023)
• Sixth Meeting – Skiathos, Greece (3–4 September 2021)
• Fifth Meeting – Torino, Italy (23–24 November 2018)
• Fourth Meeting – Oxford, UK (16–17 September 2016)
• Third Meeting – Vienna, Austria (20–21 October 2014)
• Second Meeting – Berlin, Germany (15 October 2012)
• First Meeting – Bursa, Turkey (25 June 2009)

Get Involved

Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, therapist, or healthcare professional, we invite you to connect with us. Together, we can improve outcomes and prevent injuries.

Join our group by contacting us at prevention@fessh.com or reaching out to one of our group leaders.

Our Mission

We strive to advance hand trauma prevention through collaboration, education, and innovation, ensuring our work is aligned with both professional needs and real-world patient priorities.

Have questions or suggestions? We’d love to hear from you!

Luciana Marzella the leader of the Hand Trauma Prevention Group, head of the hand trauma and microsurgery service at Galeazzi Sant’Ambrogio Hospital Milan. She graduated from the medical school in 2001 and specialized in Orhopaedic and Traumatology in 2006. Resident at the Institut de La Main in Paris in 2005-2006. In 2015 Doctor Marzella obtained the EBSH Diploma and in 2016 the Microsurgery Diploma at the Columbia University, New York followed in 2017 by the Advanced Microsurgery Diploma again at the Columbia University in New York. Doctor Marzella is Teacher and Co-ordinator of the SICM Anatomy Dissection Course from 2019 to Present day. Her major interest is in Hand and Wrist traumatic and elective pathologies and Vascular Malformations of the Upper Limb. She provided many national and international presentations. Doctor Marzella is frequently called as guest in many National TV shows dedicated to health information. She’s an active member of the Italian Society for Surgery of the Hand where she is President of the Professional Activities and Rembursement Committee, Member of the SICM Medicolegal Committee, the Research Innovation and tecnologies commitee. Doctor Marzella is also a member of many other Italian scientific societies including SIOT, SIM, SISAV and AITOG. She is an international member of IWAS, IBRA, AACA and ASSH of which she is als a member of the Relations Committee. As member of both relationship committees she aims to be a brigde between European and North-American societies for the hand.

Contact: prevention@fessh.com

Marlène O’Donoghue studied human medicine in Lübeck, Germany, and is a board-certified specialist in Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery. She works as a consultant in the Department of Hand Surgery and Upper Extremity at Waldfriede Hospital in Berlin (Director: PD Dr. med. Martin Lautenbach), where she focuses on hand surgery and injuries of the upper limb, with a particular emphasis on rheumatic diseases. She is an active member of the German Society for Hand Surgery (DGH) and part of its extended board. As an engaged member of the Young Forum of the DGH, she is involved in promoting professional exchange, education, and networking among early-career hand surgeons in Germany. She regularly participates in national and international congresses and contributes to various academic and training activities in the field of hand and upper extremity surgery.