Procedure-specific guides
Carpal tunnel release
To be read alongside the care pathway pages. This page covers only what is specific to carpal tunnel release.
The operation
The ligament forming the roof of the tunnel is divided, which immediately makes room for the nerve. The incision is in the palm, in line with the ring finger, and is a few centimetres long.
The procedure takes about fifteen minutes, under local or regional anaesthesia. You go home the same day.
- The ligament does not close back up: its ends heal apart.
- No cast is needed; a dressing is enough.
- Both hands are not usually operated on the same day.
The first few days
Use the hand straight away for light things: eating, writing, dressing. Moving the fingers is encouraged from day one and prevents stiffness.
Relief from waking at night is often immediate, sometimes from the first night: that is the change most people notice first.
- Keep the hand elevated for the first two days.
- Keep the dressing dry; it is reduced after a few days.
- Avoid pushing up from a chair on the palm of that hand.
What to expect after that
Tenderness in the palm on either side of the scar, when leaning on it, is normal and often lasts two to three months. It fades gradually.
Numbness that was present for a long time before the operation recovers slowly, over months, and may remain partial. Surgery stops things getting worse; it cannot always turn the clock back.
- Heavy gripping and manual work: generally around four to six weeks.
- Driving: once you can hold the wheel firmly and without pain.
- Massage the scar once the wound is closed, as you were shown.
Urgent
When to call, and who to call
Fingers that are cold, white or bluish, loss of sensation, severe and increasing pain that painkillers do not touch, a dressing that has become too tight, or bleeding that does not stop after ten minutes of pressure: go to the emergency department without waiting for a call back. For a fever, spreading redness or discharge, call the office the same day. If you are unsure, call 811.
Information on this site is general and does not replace a medical consultation. In an emergency, call 911.