Carpal tunnel syndrome surgery is a treatment to release pressure in the carpal tunnel of your wrist.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve becomes pinched (compressed), due to swelling, or a thickening of the tendons and ligaments that connect the wrist and hand.

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, you’re likely to have pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in the hand, wrist or arm, which worsens at night.

At The London Clinic, we will offer you carpal syndrome release surgery if your symptoms are severe, or if other treatments haven’t been effective.

On the day of your operation, we will give you a local anaesthetic to numb your hand and wrist.

There are two types of carpal tunnel surgery:

Open carpal tunnel surgery

For open carpal tunnel surgery, your surgeon makes a small incision (4 to 5 cm) on the skin in the palm of your hand.

Then the ligament that forms the roof of the carpal tunnel is cut to release pressure on the median nerve.

Endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery

For endoscopic surgery, your surgeon makes two small incisions (1cm each) in your wrist or palm so they can insert the endoscope (a tiny camera on the end of a thin tube) and specialised surgical tools.

Your surgeon then cuts the transverse carpal ligament, to relieve pressure on the median nerve.

They then remove the instruments and close the cuts with stitches. Your surgeon will apply a dressing and place your arm in a sling to keep it elevated.

We will then take you to the recovery suite while your anaesthetic wears off. Your care nurse will be by your side to check your progress and then you’ll be free to go home.

Most people find their pain and discomfort disappears after carpal tunnel surgery, and they can return to normal activities.

If you’ve had carpal tunnel syndrome for a long time before surgery, or you have diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, surgery will provide enough relief for you to enjoy life again.

As part of your treatment journey, your physiotherapist will give you a tailored exercise plan to help you before and after your surgery. These exercises go hand in hand with helping your surgery results be as successful as possible.

How long it takes to recover from carpal tunnel surgery depends on how fit and healthy you are before surgery. Recovery time also depends on whether you’ve had the surgery on your dominant (writing) hand or other (opposing) hand.

If you’ve had surgery on your dominant hand, it may take six to eight weeks before you can return to work or carry out normal activities like writing.

If the surgery was on your non-dominant hand, you should be able to return to work after two weeks.

Symptoms such as pain and tenderness should settle down after a few days, then improve within a few weeks. For best recovery results, you should avoid heavy use of your hand for up to three months.

Exercising the affected hand and wrist can speed up recovery, and your physiotherapist will give you some specific exercises to help you heal more quickly.
Your care team will be on hand to help, and if there’s anything you’re worried about, you can contact them at any time.

Carpal tunnel syndrome surgery is a routine operation with a good success rate, and possible side effects include:

• Pain
• Bleeding
• Scarring
• Infection

In a small number of cases, side effects can develop after carpal tunnel surgery, such as:

• Recurrence of symptoms
• Numbness in the thumb, index and middle fingers
• Wrist pain
• Severe stiffness and loss of use of the hand.

Most people make a full recovery from carpal tunnel surgery after a few weeks, but heavy lifting is not advised for up to three months.

At The London Clinic, we use the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques for a quicker recovery and less scarring.

At The London Clinic, we offer a thorough assessment and investigation of your condition so that you get the best treatment possible.

The surgeons who offer carpal tunnel surgery, have all had extensive training in both endoscopic and open surgery.

Before your treatment, your care team will guide you through the procedure and recovery plan and answer all your questions.

Carpal tunnel surgery is normally a same-day procedure, so you’ll just need someone to collect you after your operation, or we can organise a taxi to take you home.

Your comfort is our priority, and to make you feel more at home we offer extra touches like a personalised food menu and concierge service.

After surgery, it’s important for you to follow any advice your care team gives you, such as exercise, caring for the wound and resting your wrist and hand until you feel better.

Once at home your personal care team will keep in contact with you to make sure everything is going smoothly.

Treatment options

The type of surgery you have will depend on factors like your age, how much carpal tunnel syndrome is affecting your daily activity and other underlying health factors.

Open surgery is more likely to be suitable for you if you have a natural narrowing of the carpal tunnel (idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome), or if your surgeon needs to remove a tumour or cyst at the same time.

Endoscopic surgery is a less invasive surgery, with a quicker recovery time and less scarring.

Both types of surgery will improve your symptoms and your surgeon will talk to you about which type of surgery might be best for you.

Non-surgical treatments

At The London Clinic we offer a thorough assessment and investigation of your condition so that you get the best treatment possible.

If surgery isn’t suitable, your surgeon may recommend other treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome including:

• Steroid injections
• Wrist splints
• Movement modification
• Icing of the wrist
• Weight management