If physical therapy or injections have not relieved the painful and often debilitating symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), patients have to start considering their surgical options.
However, a new, minimally invasive surgical option performed by Dr. Uzma Rehman can lead to quicker recoveries and return patients to activity sooner than with traditional approaches.
Utilizing the endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) system, Dr. Rehman can alleviate CTS pain while saving the patient from an extended recovery.
"In the more traditional, open approaches, surgical procedures include large incisions, extensive soft tissue damage and longer rehabilitation," said Dr. Rehman, an orthopedic hand surgeon with McLaren Macomb. "Taking advantage of the new procedure's minimally invasive approach, we can limit the factors that add time to recovery, and we can get patients back to full function sooner."
CTS occurs when the median nerve"“a major nerve in the hand"“is compressed by tendons in the wrist.
When resorting to surgical options, surgeons cut the tendons to relieve the pressure placed on the nerve.
With the ECTR system, surgeons need only to make a small incision in the wrist to place instruments that allow them to perform the entire procedure endoscopically. The minimally invasive procedure has proven to decrease post-op pain and scarring and return patients to regular daily activities sooner.
Nearly 15 million people in the U.S. suffer from CTS. Symptoms include numbness, weakness, tingling and "shock"-like pain in the hand.
Risk factors include repetitive hand use, family history and other health conditions. Women and older adults are more likely to develop CTS.
To learn more about the symptoms of and treatment options for CTS, attend a free seminar on March 7. To register, visit mclarenmacomb.eventbrite.com.