carpal tunnel surgery

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Apogee

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Mine was just about an 1.25" incision at the base of my palm. Wrapped tight for one day, then just dressings to catch any residual drainage, which was minimal. My surgeon told me to just resume normal activities after 1-2 days, the only limitation was pain. She told me that I basically could not undo what she did, so just proceed as pain level allows. The scars are virtually invisible 3.5 years after.

Did one hand, then the other hand about 4 weeks later. Mine was done at Mercy out on I-35 in Edmond.
 

Snattlerake

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I do limited incision carpal tunnel releases. Patients do great. Functional grip strength for most tasks is back within 1-2 weeks. Ultimate grip strength may take several months but you should get back to being as strong as you were before, or even stronger.

No man’s land is in the palm, not the wrist.
Crap! I was just going to ask about my Dupuytren's Contracture. Got some nodules at the middle of the palm and base of the fingers. Not severe contracture yet but painful.
 

Backstrap

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I had both hands done last year; endoscopic procedure through the wrist. Tiny incision with one suture to close it. Had to wear a brace for the first two weeks post-op, then restricted use for next four weeks. Released at six weeks with no restrictions. Very glad I did it - full relief of the symptoms and pain I’d dealt with for 20+ years and no pain or complications since on either hand.
 
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Gunbuffer

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Mine was just about an 1.25" incision at the base of my palm. Wrapped tight for one day, then just dressings to catch any residual drainage, which was minimal. My surgeon told me to just resume normal activities after 1-2 days, the only limitation was pain. She told me that I basically could not undo what she did, so just proceed as pain level allows. The scars are virtually invisible 3.5 years after.

Did one hand, then the other hand about 4 weeks later. Mine was done at Mercy out on I-35 in Edmond.
Was wondering about one hand at a time

Did all of you guys get cortisone shots first? Did they work at all?
 

yukonjack

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The carpal tunnel stuff wasn't too bad but the other stuff they operated on at the same time was a pain.
 

Apogee

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Was wondering about one hand at a time

Did all of you guys get cortisone shots first? Did they work at all?

My doc never gave me shots. He just did the ole' wrist braces and steroids for a couple of weeks, no improvement. Sent me for a nerve conductive test. After seeing those results he (and my hand surgeon) said get it fixed, or risk permanent nerve damage and possibly irreversible muscle atrophy in my hands.

One hand at a time, you still have to have a good hand to clean your backside.
 

SoonerP226

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Plenty of studies to show absolutely no advantage to post op immobilization. SMH.
The orthopedic surgeon who did the surgery on the back side of my wrist (obviously not carpal tunnel) had me in a brace for a week or so to give the incision time to heal; I don't remember if it was a nurse or the physical therapist who told me he wanted the joint moving ASAP. IIRC, he had me in physical therapy within two weeks. This would've been in 2000, FWIW.

Funny thing--after all the PT, the surgified wrist had a greater range of motion and better grip strength than the factory original one...
 

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