THE ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY
IS A 3 STITCH INCISION
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OPEN SURGERY IS A LARGER
DEEPER INCISION W A LONGER
HEALING/RECOVERY TIME
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FOR SOME ODD REASON, THE DOCTORS WHO DO THE MIN. INVASIVE VERSION
ARE MUCH BUSIER!
THE LIGAMENT IS CUT, RELEASING THE PRESSURE.
EVEN THOUGH THE SURGERY IS ABOUT 10
MINUTES, IT TAKES 6 WEEKS & HAND PHYSICAL
THERAPY POST OP. THERE ARE ALOT OF NERVE ENDINGS, TENDONS, AND COMPLEX STUFF GOING ON W THE HAND STRUCTURE.
THERE IS WEEK WRAPPED IN A SURGICAL SPLINT, THAT YOU KEEP PROPPED UP IN A SLING OR IT WILL SWELL & THROB.
YOU DON'T GET IMMEDIATE RELIEF, SO THE
DAMAGED NERVES TAKE A WHILE TO HEAL.
I FIGURED OUT A FIRE & ICE METHOD- PUT THE PALM OF THE HAND ON TOP OF AN ICE PACK, & A HEATING PAD OVER THE TOP OF THE HAND. ELEVATE ON A PILLOW & WAKE UP PAIN FREE. WOO HOO!
I JUST NEED TO RIDE THE WAVE, AND RECOVER, SO
I CAN DO THE WHOLE THING AGAIN IN A FEW WEEKS
ON THE OTHER WRIST.
IF YOU ARE LUCKY, YOU CAN WEAR A HEAVY DUTY
SPLINT BRACE W A METAL SUPPORT, IF IT DOES NOT CAUSE EXTREME CONTACT DERMATITIS THAT REQUIRES MULTIPLE DOSES OF STEROIDS TO CALM IT DOWN. THE FUN NEVER ENDS.
THIS IS PROBABLY WAAAY MORE THAN YOU EVER CARED TO KNOW ABOUT CARPAL TUNNEL SURGERY.
IT IS A COMMON SURGERY, SO IF SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS IT, WORTH CHECKING OUT IF YOU/THEY ARE A CANDIDATE FOR THE ENDOSCOPIC VERSION.
HONESTLY, THIS HAS BEEN A CRASH COURSE IN AWARENESS OF HOW MUCH YOU USE BOTH HANDS.
TRY OPENING A TIGHT LID, TOOTHPASTE, OR FLOSSING YOUR TEETH W ONE HAND. EVEN JUST GETTING DRESSED, PUTTING ON PANTS & SOCKS
IS NOW QUITE THE ORDEAL.
I FEEL LIKE A KID ASKING A GROWN UP TO CUT THE FOOD ON MY PLATE!
HONESTLY, THIS HAS BEEN A CRASH COURSE IN AWARENESS OF HOW MUCH YOU USE BOTH HANDS.
TRY OPENING A TIGHT LID, TOOTHPASTE, OR FLOSSING YOUR TEETH W ONE HAND. EVEN JUST GETTING DRESSED, PUTTING ON PANTS & SOCKS
IS NOW QUITE THE ORDEAL.
I FEEL LIKE A KID ASKING A GROWN UP TO CUT THE FOOD ON MY PLATE!
IF ANYTHING, NOW THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED IF YOU WERE WONDERING, WHAT'S UP WITH THE ALL CAPS?
8 comments:
Sounds nasty - I hope it heals quickly!
I always thought a whole new you referred to a face lift, a boob job and veneers.
Of well, 2013 is just around the corner!
Get better and remember, Vitamin e helps healing.
MAUI- COMPARED TO TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT, CARPAL TUNNEL IS AN EASIER SURGERY. OF COURSE I NEED TO HAVE BOTH HANDS DONE, SO THATS GOING TO TAKE LONGER.
CHRISTOPHER- I COULD USE THOSE TOO!
BUT OF COURSE INSURANCE WOULD DENY ELECTIVE SURGERY.
I ASKED ABOUT WHOLE BODY TRANSPLANTS, BUT THOSE ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
AS FOR VITAMIN E, PRE SURGERY ,THEY CUT YOU OFF
Vitamin E (either alpha, beta or gamma tocopherol), inhibit in some degree, platelet aggregation, and could interfere with blood clotting.
I WAS TOLD TO DISCONTINUE OMEGA 3 FISH OIL & ALL OTC ANTI INFLAMMATORIES PRE OP TOO.
SO ALL THAT IS LEFT IS POST OP PERCOCET.
I'M ON THE FENCE OF POST OP FOR ONE WRIST PRE OP FOR THE OTHER.
I'D LIKE FOR THIS TO BE THE LAST SURGERY FOR A VERY LONG TIME!!!!
LOL RE YOUR
2013 is just around the corner!
REMARK
BY THE WAY, MY DOC WHO IS A CERTIFIED HAND SPECIALIST, SAID ABOUT 95% OF PEOPLE QUALIFY FOR THE ENDOSCOPIC MIN INVASIVE STYLE OF SURGERY. ONLY IF THERE IS TOO MUCH SWELLING TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ARTERY THAT LOOPS ABOVE THE LIGAMENT WOULD THAT PREVENT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT SURGERY.
BUT LESS PAIN & MUCH SMALLER INCISION, NOT UNDER GENERAL ANESTHESIA SURE MAKES IT A NO BRAINER. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE 80 TO 90% OF THE SURGEONS IN THIS AREA DO THE OPEN VERSION, WHICH MAY BE EASIER FOR THE SURGEON, BUT HARDER ON THE PATIENT.
seems like the endoscopic min invasive method was the definite #1 choice! Small surgical incision, shorter recovery, hopefully less painful, too.
re: having use of only one hand ... bet you are using your teeth more (like to open the toothpaste tube), so be careful or you'll end up back at the dentist!
Fran: Be healed soon! And, on geez, as you didn't have enough to look forward to, Deke plants another thought ($$$) in that back closet of your brain! (vbg!)
BTW: Any chance you're trying to tell us all (subtly, of course) you're leaving us, Fran? (I mean, are you becoming bionic? You're not, right, are you?)
But curious minds need to know: Might you -- one of these upcoming fall semesters -- end up on the Duck's football roster?
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