Carpal tunnel release surgery is performed on those who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome, where too much pressure is placed on the median nerve in the wrist, causing pain or numbness. Carpal tunnel release surgery can help relieve this pain by cutting the carpal ligament to release pressure on the nerve.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can affect anybody, and risk of developing the syndrome increases with age. It is not always known why the carpal tunnel syndrome develops, although some put this down to lifestyle and working practise (for example jobs involving stress on the wrist and hands). These factors can cause aching, numbness or tingling in the hand (and sometimes the arm), which may become permanent. Individuals who suffer from these symptoms should speak to their doctor about considering carpal tunnel release surgery.
There are two types of carpal tunnel release surgery, which are performed under local or general anesthetic.
Recovery can vary for individuals, and the length of time off work will be subject to what type of job you do. If your job involves heavy lifting for example, you will need to take more time off work. Sutures will be removed 2 weeks after your operation, and the majority of cases will see significant improvement, if not a full recovery. The healing process may take between several weeks and several months to complete, depending on the severity of nerve damage.
Risks for carpal tunnel release surgery include a reaction to the anesthetic, infection of the
wound, bleeding, lack of improvement following surgery, nerve damage, pain, scarring, scar
tissue build-up, nerve sensitivity and hand weakness.
