The endoscopic treatment of the carpal tunnel syndrome (which is now applicable to most cases, stays clear from opening the hand palm and allows optimal recovery).
Before surgery :
The carpal tunnel syndrome may include a « pins and needles » or tingling sensation in the fingers frequently associated with pain irradiating in the arm.
The symptoms of this disease often disturb sleep.
All this can be explained by the suffering of the median nerve (major hand nerve) which passes with the finger tensions under a ligament through a very tight tunnel (called carpal tunnel). This tunnel is located at the base of the wrist.
This suffering which is often caused by stressing manual activities must be confirmed by an examination called Electromyogram (EMG). It uses small pinpricks to record the speed of the electrical current circulating through the nerves.
Several options can be taken according to the results of the EMG : – Either a cortisone injection into the wrist which most frequently can delay the operations by a few months or a few years thus entailing a transitory reduction of the inflammation of the nerve
– Or a wrist splint which put into place at night allows to reduce the numbness and tingling.
During surgery :
The purpose of the procedure is to free the nerve from its tunnel by sectioning a ligament (this section is of no consequence in the long term).
The technique performed by camera monitored endoscopy allows, by alleviating the surgical procedure to recover the hand functions as soon as possible.
The skin incision is about one centimeter long.
Input of the camera in the carpal tunnel :
After surgery :
The symptoms of the disease disappear very quickly, very often on the evening after the procedure.
Admissions to the clinic are registered in the morning and walk outs in the afternoon.
The two suture stitches are absorbable and are dissolved after a fortnight or 3 weeks.
No immobilization by plaster cast or splint is needed.
A sick leave is advisable according to the type of professional activity : it can range from 2 days to one month according to the different cases.
Make an appointment