Carpal tunnel release surgery is a very common procedure. It reflects the extremely high incidence of repetitive hand and wrist injuries that exist in today's workforce. Surgery, in general, comes with no guarantees and there is always risk for problems and complications.
Recurrence of Symptoms
One of the potential problems that some people encounter after carpal tunnel release surgery is recurrence of the symptoms. Although this is rare, symptoms can re-occur as a result of unwanted scar formation that can exert pressure on the released nerve. The scar can develop from post-operative inflammation.
Painful Scar
In some cases, people may encounter painful incision scars as it heals after surgery. Some have the propensity to develop hypertrophic, overgrown scar tissue called keloids, which can be unsightly as well as uncomfortable. In cases of work-related injury, painful scars can cause extended lost work days and difficulty returning to occupations that involve repetitive use of the hands. Treatments for painful scars can include physical therapy for desensitization techniques, ultrasound and friction massage.
Nerve Injury
As rare as this complication can be, the reality is that the risk of injury or damage to the median nerve during surgery definitely exists. Injury can come in the form of sharp trauma from scalpel blades or sharp retracting instruments, or needle punctures during closure of the wound. Such injuries could lead to permanent loss of all or part of nerve function, or delayed healing and return of normal sensation and function.
Injury to the nerve can also occur when the endoscopic surgical approach is utilized. This is a minimally invasive form of the procedure that utilizes small stab wound incisions for access, as well as a small rigid fiber-optic telescope and video camera. Some instrumentation and techniques are used that can obscure the nerve from proper viewing, thus increasing the risk of injury or damage to it.
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