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Van Halen's Hand Surgery a Success

Eddie Van Halen is recuperating from hand surgery that was needed to alleviate increasing pain in his left hand. The world famous rock guitarist reveals he began to sense pain in his pinky and thumb on the final dates of Van Halen's 2007-2008 tour, but after an initial treatment for arthritis, the operating table was deemed his only option.

"It got progressively worse to the point that about three months ago I wasn't able to play at all," Van Halen told Rolling Stone. "My pinky and my thumb were totally locked up and felt like there was something broken."

Specialists in Düsseldorf, ruled out arthritis after discovering a bone spur, twisted tendon and a cyst in the joint of his left thumb. Van Halen -- who had hip replacement surgery ten years ago and also had a portion of his tongue removed being fter diagnosed with mouth cancer -- says wasn't exactly stoked to go under the knife again. "[It] scared the s--- out of me," he said. "But I was told it was the only way to fix it."

Doctors tell Van Halen -- who's made a living with his finger-tapping guitar-playing technique -- that the surgery is a success. Once his stitches are removed in a few days, he can resume playing the guitar. "I am totally jazzed that they found the problem," he added. "In about four months my hand will feel like I am 18 again."

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DAVE

HEY ED GLAD YOUR FEELING BETTER , KEEP ON ROCKING , KEEP ON PLAYING , YOUR THE BEST , CANT WAIT TO HEAR NEW MATERIAL .

December 30 2009 at 11:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jama5150

First of all, the band was discovered by gene simmons of KISS in a club in LA. Not kiss the band. Simmons signed Van Halen to his Label, thus VAN HALEN was born

September 01 2009 at 3:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tcrick001

Eddie, you are the best guitar player to ever live. personally, you are an asshole. keep rockin pal

July 27 2009 at 3:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
oh, great one...

get well, one of the best in the world..see ya on tour, hopefuly with a new album, 2010.eddie rocks

July 24 2009 at 8:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ohwareham

Hey Joe T.
Yes, Ed was a great guy 15 years ago - 1994, pre-Sammy leaving, pre-Gary, pre-Roth, pre-treating Michael Anthony like crap, pre-not having a label, pre-divorce, pre-rehab, pre-cancer. He's a dick now.

July 24 2009 at 7:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jack

He looks gay

July 24 2009 at 7:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bob

Van Halen sucks...long live CHICKENFOOT!!!!!!!!!!!1

July 24 2009 at 7:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
STINKDOG

Ed,you are the freakin` man! Sooooooooooo looking foward to a new album,although i still feel Van Halen misses Micaheal Anthony`s back-ground vocals!!

July 24 2009 at 7:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
janna nikkola

I sincerely hope it was a success, but it's very early and premature to be announcing "it was a success". He hasn't had his stitches out yet and he doesn't know yet how he'll be able to move his thumb and pinkie. Once he has recovered the complete use of these digits, then and only then can he announce "it was a success". He's counting his chickens.

AIM/AOL should do a follow-up in two weeks to see how he's REALLY doing.

July 24 2009 at 6:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
meg

so . . . Twisted Tendon sounds like a good band name to me--

July 24 2009 at 6:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply