Postoperative Care for Carpal Tunnel Surgery

854-429-4263 | HandInstituteOfCharleston.com

Your destination for hand and wrist care!

Summerville Office202 Nexton Square DriveSummerville, SC. 29486

Mount Pleasant Office851 Leonard Fulghum Blvd, Suite 101

Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Brighton Park Blvd.

Sigma Dr.

Edge

St.

Rose

Dr.

Front St.

Nexon Square Dr.

26626

17BUS

Our providers

Eric Angermeier, MDOrthopaedic Hand and

Wrist Surgeon

Kyle P. Kokko, MD, PHDOrthopaedic Hand and

Wrist Surgeon

Postoperative Care for Carpal Tunnel SurgeryThank you for choosing the Hand Institute of Charleston for your surgery. The following instructions are provided as a guide for your recovery. Please call our office immediately if you have any of the following:

Bleeding that does not improve after holding direct pressure for 5 minutes.Fever over 101⁰ F.Pus or foul-smelling drainage from the wound.Enlarging area of redness around the wound.Severe swelling, or tight bandages, splint or cast that cannot be loosened.Signs of allergic reaction (hives, difficulty breathing, severe rash).Signs of finger ischemia (fingertips cold, blue or pale, color doesn’t return to fingertip or nail bed when pressed).

Call 911 or go directly to the closest Emergency Department for any of the following:Chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fainting, prolonged vomiting.Severe bleeding not responding to direct pressure.Signs of finger ischemia (fingertips cold, blue or pale, color doesn’t return to fingertip or nail bed when pressed).

To Help with Pain and Swelling:As the numbing wears off you will experience some discomfort in your palm and wrist.Keep your hand elevated (above heart level) as much as possible for the first 24 hours. Ice packs (apply for no more than 15 minutes at a time) help to ease pain and swelling.Do not use heat.Gently move your fingers a few times per hour to prevent stiffness.Avoid heavy use of the hand (less than 1 pound of force) with lifting, gripping, squeezing or pinching until the wound is healed and sutures have been removed. You will receive instructions on how to advance your activity level at your postop visit. It is ok to use your hand for light activities (getting dressed, using a fork, etc) as tolerated.

Medications:Take all pain medication as prescribed, and only if needed. Prescription pain medicine refill requests will only be considered during office hours.Do not drive or operate heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medication.Over-the-counter pain medications such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen, or Tylenol, are often adequate to control pain. Take as directed on the bottle.Do not take Tylenol while also taking prescription pain medication. Avoid any medications that you are allergic to or have been advised not to take by your other physicians.

Wound Care:Leave the operative bandage on and keep it clean and dry for 3 days. A large kitchen glove or plastic bag can be used to keep the hand dry while showering.3 Days after surgery (or if the bandage becomes accidentally wet or soiled before then) you may remove the operative bandage, and gently wash the hand with mild soap (Dial, Dove, etc.) under running warm water. Wash the hand at least once or twice per day in between bandage changes. Do not soak the hand under water (bathtub), and avoid any contact with dirty water (pool, hot tub, dishwater) or chemicals (cleaning solutions, grease, etc.) until the sutures are out.

Diet:Start by sipping clear fluids, then advance to light foods like crackers for the first couple hours. You may then advance to a regular diet as tolerated.Eating healthy foods high in protein can enhance healing.Drink plenty of water, especially while taking prescription pain medication, to help with constipation. You may also choose to take some over-the-counter stool softener.Avoid alcohol while taking pain medication. Avoid smoking/vaping and other forms of tobacco use, as these can slow wound healing and increase the risk of infection.

Your Postoperative Appointment:

You should have an appointment scheduled for 10-14 days after surgery. If you are unsure, call our office to confirm or to reschedule.At this visit, typically the sutures are removed, and we will discuss further instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How much and how long will it hurt?Everyone experiences pain differently, but most of our patients find that they do not need prescription pain medicine for more than a couple days, then transition to Ibuprofen or Tylenol. Some require no medication at all.

When will I start feeling improvement in the numbness?Most patients feel more numb for a few hours due to the numbing used for surgery, but then report a noticeable improvement in symptoms in the first couple weeks, sometimes as soon as the first night. Recovery is variable and depends on many factors.

When can I go back to work?This will be customized for each patient based on their job requirements and rate of recovery. Some are able to resume light office activities immediately. Heavy duty manual activities are strictly prohibited for the first couple weeks while the incision heals, and may be difficult to perform comfortably for 6-12 weeks or more while deeper healing takes place.

Do I need hand therapy?Most patients do not need formal hand therapy, but you should work on gentle movement and stretching of the fingers starting immediately after surgery. If the hand remains stiff and swollen at your postoperative visit, your surgeon may recommend a consultation with our hand therapist to help get you loosened back up.

When should I get my other side fixed?If you also have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in your other hand, we typically recommend holding off on getting the other side fixed at least until your first postoperative visit (2 weeks). This allows us to make sure things are healing appropriately and provides you with at least one hand to use for personal care while the other is healing.

Additional Instructions:

Please call our office for any questions or concerns: 854-429-4263