Carpal tunnel surgery reduces the pressure on a nerve in the wrist. Your doctor will cut a ligament that presses on the nerve. This lets the nerve pass freely through the tunnel without being squeezed. This is also called carpal tunnel release surgery.
The surgery can be open or endoscopic. In open surgery, your doctor makes a small cut in the palm of your hand. This cut is called an incision. In endoscopic surgery, your doctor makes one small incision in the wrist. Or you may have one small incision in the wrist and one in the palm. Your doctor puts a thin tube with a camera attached (endoscope) into the incision. Surgical tools are put in along with the endoscope.
In both types of surgeries, the incisions are closed with stitches. The incisions leave scars that usually fade in time.
You may be asleep during the surgery. Or you may be awake and have medicine to numb your hand and arm so you won't feel pain.
After surgery, your wrist and hand pain should start to go away. It usually takes 3 to 4 months to recover and 1 year before your hand strength returns. How much hand strength returns is different for each person.
You will go home the same day as the surgery. When you can go back to work depends on the type of work you do.
Surgery may be an option when other treatment hasn't helped, if you've had carpal tunnel syndrome for a long time, or if there's nerve damage or the risk of nerve damage.
The most common surgery for relieving carpal tunnel symptoms involves cutting the transverse carpal ligament. This helps relieve pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. Two approaches for this surgery are:
Some surgeons are now doing small- or mini-open release surgery. This requires a smaller incision than standard open surgery. It may reduce healing time and scarring. The surgeon can view the ligament directly to minimize danger to the nerve.
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
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Carpal tunnel reduces the pressure on a nerve in the wrist. Your doctor cut a ligament that presses on the nerve. This lets the nerve pass freely through the tunnel without being squeezed.
Your hand will hurt and may feel weak with some numbness. This usually goes away in a few days, but it may take several months. Your doctor may remove the large bandage, or the doctor will tell you when and how to remove it yourself. In some cases, you may have a splint. If you have one, you will wear it for about 2 weeks.
Your doctor will take out your stitches in 1 to 2 weeks. Your hand and wrist may feel worse than they used to feel. But the pain should start to go away. It usually takes 3 to 4 months to recover and up to 1 year before hand strength returns. How much strength returns will vary.
The timing of your return to work depends on the type of surgery you had, whether the surgery was on your dominant hand (the hand you use most), and your work activities.
If you had open surgery on your dominant hand and you do repeated actions at work, you may be able to go back to work in 6 to 8 weeks. Repeated motions include typing or assembly-line work. If the surgery was on the other hand and you don't do repeated actions at work, you may be able to return to work in 7 to 14 days.
If you had endoscopic surgery, you may be able to go back to work sooner than with open surgery.
Most people with carpal tunnel syndrome are treated without surgery. Surgery is considered only when:
Nerve tests are often completed before surgery is done. Surgery is more likely to be successful if the results from nerve testing point to carpal tunnel syndrome.
In open carpal tunnel release surgery, the transverse carpal ligament is cut, releasing the median nerve. The size and shape of the incision may vary.
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