What are the morbidity complications with carpal tunnel release?

Answer 1

Complications of carpal tunnel surgery or carpal tunnel release are similar to any other type of surgery such as

• bleeding
• swelling
• inflammation of site
• infection
• soreness at the incision site (called pillar pain) - this may last for a few months
• the one complication that is more serious is if the median nerve is cut or nicked; with this you can have permanent numbness and tingling of the fingers.

The median nerve is around the thickness of a number 2 pencil. It's very difficult to cut it unless the surgeon is careless or cannot see what he/she is doing.

The most common nerve injury is a bruising of the nerve from a retractor or from scissors. This type of injury usually gets better with time but may create some numbness or burning pain temporarily.

Answer 2

Fever, bluish color to the operated hand, inability or difficulty moving the fingers, numbness, bleeding of the operated hand, swelling of the operated arm.

Answer 3

Morbidity complications are small. According to a 2002 study, recurrent scar formation was the most common complication.