There are possible complications from this surgery, including whats known as pillar pain.
Pillar pain occurs on the sides of the surgical incision in the palm.
It is also possible to experience numbness and tingling, nerve problems, and incision pain after surgery.
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While the chance of experiencing complications is small, patients should understand these possible risks.
This article will cover some of the common complications of both types of carpal tunnel surgery.
Incision pain typically only lasts for a few days or weeks after surgery.
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The muscles of the palm are also located here.
Treatments for pillar pain may include rest, massage, and hand therapy.
The second reason is nerve damage from long-standing compression to the median nerve.
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A nerve test called anelectromyography (EMG) studycan help indicate the severity of nerve compression before surgery.
There are steps you’ve got the option to take tohelp prevent the possibility of infection.
Occasionally, additional surgery is needed to clean out the infection from the surgical wound.
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The chance of a nerve injury is slightly higher with endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery but still very rare.
Often, an injury to the nerve is treatable.
Physical therapy with methods likeelectric stimulationcan be useful in keeping the surrounding muscles strong while the nerve heals.
If a nerve injury is severe or fails to heal on its own, it may be surgically repaired.
This happens about 10% to 15% of the time.
This problem may be addressed with another surgical procedure.
But the second surgery may be even less effective than the initial surgery.
Summary
Carpal tunnel surgery is very safe and effective in treating carpal tunnel syndrome.
However, as with any invasive treatment, there are risks to this procedure.
Some of these include numbness and tingling, pillar pain, infection, and nerve injury.
Even though these complications are rare, patients should understand the possible risks of this treatment.
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[published correction appears in J Wrist Surg.
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Harvard Health Publishing.Don’t delay treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.
2018;10(1):52-53. doi:10.1055/s-0037-1618330
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Nerve injury.
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