Carpal Tunnel Release Through A Tiny Skin Poke: How Is That Possible?

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or are thinking about a carpal tunnel release procedure, you may have questions about your incision!

Carpal tunnel release is a time-tested surgery that cures carpal tunnel syndrome for good.  It has very high success rates.  There are also many different ways to perform a carpal tunnel release.  If you are scheduled to have a carpal tunnel release surgery, you should ask your surgeon what type of release will be performed and what your incision will look like.

Raleigh, North Carolina, Carpal Tunnel Specialist Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD specializes in advanced ultrasound-guided surgery.  As a result, this special skill allows Dr. Nelson to perform a carpal tunnel release through a 5 mm “poke” in the skin of the wrist.

How is this possible?

All carpal tunnel release procedures do the same thing.  The goal of a carpal tunnel release is to open a special band inside the wrist that allows the carpal tunnel to grow slightly wider.  When the tunnel grows slightly wider, the carpal tunnel nerve has more room to “breathe.”  So whether your surgeon performs an open carpal tunnel release or an ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release, the goal is the same.

But what is different is how they get there!

Open carpal tunnel release arrives at the special ligament by going through the skin of the palm.  To do this, an incision is necessary in the thick skin of the palm, which has more nerve endings.  Other structures have to be cut through as well, including a special tissue called “fascia” deep to the skin.  Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD describes the skin and the fascia as “innocent bystanders.”  They do not cause carpal tunnel symptoms but need to be cut through for a open carpal tunnel release.

On the other hand, carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance allows the most targeted treatment possible.  Through a tiny 5 mm poke incision, Dr. Nelson is able to release the special ligament only.  There is no incision on the palm skin, and there is no “innocent bystander” tissue!  Think of this as performing carpal tunnel release from the “inside out.”  This is not possible without a special camera or an ultrasound machine.

So how is it possible?  It is possible because of ultrasound!

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, numbness, tingling at night or during the day, call 919-872-5296 today to schedule your visit with Dr. Johnny T. Nelson, MD.