hi folks... really important. the er docs and the sergions at the local hospital were telling me to get pins put in to straighten the broken bones in my hand... i went to a hand specialist in a hospital which was more specialized. the doc asked me if it was more important for the hand to look like it used to or play misic. i told him i was born ugly, so i am used to that, but it took effort to learn to play so i chose function. he told me that with pins sometimes he had to do follow up sergery to reduce internal scaring so... if the doctors tell you hand sergury is the best way to restore a musicians hand... get a second oppinion - it may be depends on tests a good hand doc will do... hope you never need to decide... but don't jump at the pins -
good luck
larry