Hand and upper extremity surgery is increasingly performed in ambulatory settings, placing greater responsibility on patients to manage their postoperative recovery. While the readability of patient education materials has been studied, the formats used and their impact on postoperative outcomes have not been comprehensively synthesized.

A literature search of PubMed and Web of Science was conducted for eligible studies published between 2015 and 2025 that included patients undergoing or being considered for upper extremity surgery and who received an educational intervention.

Fourteen studies were included, comprising 1,981 participants (52.9 ± 7.5 years old). Common procedures included carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, and distal radius fracture fixation. Educational interventions varied in format (handouts, videos, digital tools, verbal instruction) and timing (preoperative, postoperative, or day of surgery), with several studies using multimodal approaches. Patient education had no consistent impacts on objective functional recovery metrics but instead was associated with improved patient satisfaction and comprehension, reduced opioid use, and fewer unplanned healthcare encounters. As a result, patient education may have its largest impacts on behavioral changes rather than biomechanical recovery, optimizing decision-making but not directly accelerating patient healing.

These findings support the integration of structured education into perioperative care and highlight the need for comparative studies evaluating optimal timing and delivery strategies.

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