Benefits Of Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Posted on 11/19/2018

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS, is an extremely common condition that affects the hands and wrists. It occurs when the median nerve, which is the primary nerve that runs from the main part of your body to your hand via your wrist becomes compressed. This can happen for a variety of reasons, with some of the most common being a prior injury to your wrist or repetitive strain injury that triggers inflammation. Certain groups of people are at greater risk of developing CTS including people who are pregnant, who are overweight, who suffer from medical conditions including diabetes, gout and rheumatoid arthritis, and those who work in professions or participate in activities where there is repeated movement of the wrists. Examples include people who spend a lot of time typing, sewing by hand, woodworking or playing sports such as tennis or badminton.
 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome isn’t dangerous, but it can cause some very painful and debilitating symptoms that can significantly affect your everyday life. These include:
 

-         Tingling and numbness in the fingers and hand
 

-         Weakness in the hand and wrist
 

-         Difficulty gripping things like pens and scissors
 

-         Actual pain in your fingers, arm or hand
 

If you are diagnosed with CTS, there are some things that you can do to help alleviate your symptoms. These include taking frequent breaks from your tasks, taking anti-inflammatory medications and wearing wrist splints. However, for some people these treatments only offer temporary relief. If this is the case, your doctor may suggest that you consider endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery.
 

What are the benefits of endoscopic surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome over conventional surgery?

Virtually all of the benefits of choosing endoscopic surgery for treating carpal tunnel syndrome stem from the minimally invasive nature of this type of procedure. Prior to the development of endoscopic surgery, it was necessary for surgeons to make a significantly large incision into the wrist so that they could both see and complete the surgery on the carpal tunnel, freeing the compressed median nerve. Obviously, this wound would then need to be closed using sutures and then dressed. The patient would then need to spend some time letting their wound heal and regaining the full use of their hand and wrist once more.
 

However, in endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery, the procedure is performed using a special tool called an endoscope. This long, thin tube has a camera and light on one end which will enable your surgeon to see what he is doing, and this and the tools needed to carry out the procedure can be inserted through much a couple of very small incisions, often no larger than a 1 cent coin.

These smaller entry points mean that patients can experience a number of benefits including:
 

Reduced infection risk. This is because the wounds are much smaller and so there is less chance of bacteria or debris entering them and triggering an infection to develop.
 

Less scarring. Smaller incisions mean fewer and less obvious scarring as there is less trauma to the skin.
 

Quicker recovery. The more invasive a procedure is, the longer it will take the patient to recover. Patients who opt for endoscopic surgery will feel back to normal and be able to resume their day to day activities much faster.
 

Less trauma to interior tissues. This helps to minimize the risk of damage to surrounding tissues and will enable the patient to experience faster recovery of strength and mobility in the fingers, hand and wrist.
 

Less discomfort. It is normal to experience some pain after a surgery and the more invasive your procedure, the more severe this discomfort is likely to be. Patients who opt for endoscopic techniques are typically far less reliant on post-operative pain medications.

If you are suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and are considering surgery to help you manage your condition day to day, our experienced and dedicated team would be happy to talk you through the process and schedule you an appointment to discuss your candidacy. Please contact our offices today and let our professional staff give you the support you need.