Hand Surgery in Lebanon 2024: Excellence Despite Existing Gaps.

Abstract

Background: Lebanon has always offered advanced hand surgery services in the Middle East. However, the acknowledgment of hand surgery as an independent entity is yet to be recognized, impacting the hand care services provided. This article analyzes the landscape of hand surgery in Lebanon in 2024.

Methods: A list of registered plastic and orthopedic surgeons was obtained from the Lebanese Order of Physicians. Data on registered surgeons' work settings and hand surgery subspecialty focus were obtained from the Lebanese Society of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery, and the Lebanese Orthopaedic Society. Data on hand surgeons worldwide were extracted through direct contact with society presidents and from the most recent published records.

Results: The work environment of the active surgeons fell into 3 categories: working full time in Lebanon, splitting work between Lebanon and abroad, and exclusively working abroad. The ratio of Lebanese surgeons practicing basic hand surgery is 3.28 per 100,000 people compared with a ratio of 0.1 per 100,000 people for specialized hand surgeons-well below the recommended ratio of 0.8. Seven other countries also experience a shortage in hand surgeons, 5 have a nearly adequate supply, and 5 have an oversupply.

Conclusions: There is a shortage of specialized hand surgeons in Lebanon, compounded by a lack of recognition of this specialty at the public and private levels of the country. Implementation of strategies is needed to bridge this gap and add to the already offered contributions by existing expertise.