Once a patient has been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and surgery needs to be performed, there should be no delay to ensure that these symptoms do not develop further. Waiting too long for surgery can lead to permanent nerve damage and muscle atrophy. If the numbing sensation that the patient is experiencing begins to accelerate over time, the hand can become completely numb for a long duration of time which can then cause irreversible damage.
Before surgery is performed to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, other non-surgical treatments can be attempted. These treatments can involve supplying the patient with a splint to wear which enables the pressure on the nerve to be relived. This is worn at night for up to 4 weeks and can often prove very effective being that symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome can eradicate at night. This then leads to waking up and creating shaking motions to the hand, worsening the condition. There are other home remedies that can be advised to potentially solve the condition, such as doing hand exercises. However, if the condition fails to respond to these solutions, this is when surgery should be advised to the patient and actioned promptly. Often you will find that patients are unaware how swift the surgery process is, so educating them that the surgery itself is between 15 – 30 minutes can help if they are experiencing any worries regarding this. Patients will be able to return to work and perform light day-to-day tasks within 2 weeks, making sure to avoid any strenuous tasks so that the recovery process is not interrupted. Full function of the hand should return within 6 – 12 weeks after surgery.
Surgery can be performed through two different methods:
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Open carpal tunnel release: Separating the transverse carpal ligament which will relieve the pressure from the median nerve and create more room within the carpal tunnel to prevent any reoccurring pressure.
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Endoscopic carpal tunnel release: This is the same procedure as open carpal tunnel release; however, this is performed through an endoscope (small camera) to see inside the hand/wrist.
We perform minor surgery within Doncaster and Stoke & North Staffordshire. Our clinics are community based and are easily accessible. These procedures are performed by our two specialist’s Dr Srinivas, who is the leading consultant for Birmingham University Hospital and Mr Morgan, who has over 30 years of medical experience.
More on our hand surgery services below: www.healthharmonie.com/minor-surgery
