Hand surgery may be performed by a general surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, or a plastic surgeon after illness or injury, or to repair a congenital condition. A hand surgeon has special training in medical, surgical and rehabilitative means of healing the hand and arm, and sometimes recommends a non-surgical approach. The surgeon excels at diagnosis, preservation and restoration to the form and function of the hand, wrist and arm after disorders such as carpal tunnel, arthritis, fractures, tendonitis, or when amputation is required.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, including carpel tunnel syndrome.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Iowa has 33 practicing hand surgeons. Broken out by city, hand surgery doctor density in Ames is 1, in Ankeny is 1, in Bettendorf is 2, in Boone is 2, in Cedar Rapids is 5, in Cherokee is 1, in Clinton is 2, in Clive is 3, in Coralville is 1, in Council Bluffs is 1, in Creston is 1, in Davenport is 3, in Des Moines is 5, in Dubuque is 2, in Fort Dodge is 1, in Iowa City is 6, in Keosauqua is 1, in Marshalltown is 1, in Moville is 1, in Newton is 1, in Spencer is 1, in Storm Lake is 1, in W Des Moines is 1, in Webster City is 1, and in West Des Moines is 7.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.