It’s only natural for patients to feel hesitant about moving forward with any type of surgery, even one that can help improve their quality of life. When it comes to surgical carpal tunnel treatment, though, the best hand and wrist surgeons prefer the solution that offers a happy medium for patients: a minimally invasive surgical approach for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
How Surgery Helps
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve, which travels within your wrist through a narrow passageway: the carpal tunnel. This nerve pressure causes the feelings of tingling like your hand has fallen asleep, or intermittent numbness and pain. Surgery releases this pressure so the nerve is no longer compressed, alleviating the symptoms.
Traditional surgery requires a surgeon to go through the connective tissues in order to access the median nerve; this also means a larger incision so the surgeon has a clear field of vision. In endoscopic surgery, only a tiny incision is needed, through which your surgeon inserts a very small camera and surgical instruments. The surgery is conducted by watching the transmitted image in the OR, which allows your surgeon to avoid severing or interfering with surrounding structures.
Why Endoscopic Is Better
Because less tissue is disturbed during endoscopic surgery, the healing time is faster and more comfortable. In fact, the quick healing time is one of the primary benefits of endoscopic surgery.
Regardless of whether you and your surgeon choose traditional surgery or endoscopic, you should notice a definitive improvement in the numbness, pain and tingling in your hand and wrist. By choosing minimally invasive surgery, though, you can enjoy a more rapid recovery and get back to the rest of your life without losing any more time to your CTS.
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