Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery
Carpal tunnel syndrome is compression of the median nerve at the wrist. It causes numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers, often waking people at night, and can progress to weakness and wasting of the thumb muscles. Splinting and injections help many; when symptoms persist or nerve testing shows damage, a short outpatient release procedure relieves the pressure.
Symptoms
- Numbness and tingling in the thumb through the ring finger
- Symptoms at night or when driving or holding a phone
- Dropping objects, weak pinch
- Wasting of the muscle at the base of the thumb (advanced)
How it is diagnosed
Examination and nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCS).
Treatment options
Without surgery
Night splints, activity modification, steroid injection.
Surgical options Dr. Daggubati offers
Common questions
Can carpal tunnel come from my neck?
Symptoms in the hand can come from the wrist, the elbow or the neck, and sometimes more than one. That is why a neurosurgeon evaluates the whole pathway; treating the wrong site is the commonest reason surgery disappoints.
How long does release surgery take and what is recovery like?
About 15–20 minutes under local anesthesia. You use the hand for light tasks the same day, avoid heavy gripping for three to four weeks, and night symptoms usually resolve within days. Numbness improves over weeks to months depending on how long the nerve was compressed.
Will it come back?
Recurrence after a complete release is uncommon, under five percent.
Not sure this is you?
Bring your imaging and your story. A single visit usually clarifies what is going on and which options are realistic. Request an appointment or call (301) 718-9611.