Carpal Tunnel Surgery

[00:00:06.200] The treatment of choice is to open the carpal tunnel. [00:00:09.760] That's a very simple thing to do. [00:00:12.040] There are numerous methods by which we can all open the carpal tunnel. [00:00:16.600] The primary one that we use is by putting a camera [00:00:19.280] inside the carpal tunnel [00:00:21.560] from the forearm, go into the hand and just open the tunnel. [00:00:27.400] When I say that, there is a ligament here, [00:00:30.480] it just needs to be released by cutting it down the middle. [00:00:33.760] Immediately that carpal tunnel will open and the pressure goes away. [00:00:38.400] There will be some pain there for a little while, [00:00:40.160] but you do have immediate use of the hand. [00:00:43.640] Patients generally experience immediate improvement in their symptoms. [00:00:48.960] There are other ways to open the carpal tunnel [00:00:51.440] without the use of a camera, [00:00:53.200] and we offer all of those here for those patients that need that. [00:00:57.920] The recovery from carpal tunnel surgery has improved significantly [00:01:01.200] even in my 15-year career. [00:01:03.960] The previous thinking was that a large incision was necessary [00:01:08.800] and that the hand needed to be immobilized [00:01:12.880] for a matter of weeks or maybe even a month [00:01:15.640] in order to allow all that tissue to heal. [00:01:18.280] You'll hear of patients who say, "My mother had carpal tunnel release, [00:01:22.560] and it was a major surgery, [00:01:24.040] and it took her six months to get over it." [00:01:26.400] That was true. [00:01:27.520] But we know now that amount of trauma, [00:01:30.760] and that amount of immobilization is really not necessary. [00:01:33.600] The recovery for the carpal tunnel surgery performed nowadays, [00:01:37.960] and certainly the ones that are performed here is much different. [00:01:41.240] We allow immediate use of the hand, full range of motion. [00:01:45.080] I do not recommend the use of a splint. [00:01:48.040] We just put a soft bandage and allow patients to go back to full use, [00:01:51.680] immediately. [00:01:53.240] There is a small incision, so we want to protect that [00:01:55.600] and prevent with infection. [00:01:57.320] That means keeping it dry for a matter of days. [00:01:59.800] I usually place two sutures [00:02:01.920] and those are left in place for about 6-8 days. [00:02:06.480] But return to most activities is immediate. [00:02:09.000] Return to heavy lifting activities [00:02:10.920] or working as a mechanic or a carpenter [00:02:14.400] will be on the order of a week or two [00:02:16.760] before I would recommend that you attempt that.