Irritated heels of hands 7 wks post-op
I am 7-weeks post-op for CT release on both hands (as well as ulnar nerve release at right elbow). Most CT symptoms have gone away, but the heels of both hands are red and inflamed (right hand is more severe) – enough that I ice hands and frequently sleep with them elevated on a cold gel-pack, only to wake up to the same swollen hands. My surgeon said that the incision looks good and to come back in another 5 weeks. But having irritated heels of hands means I'm struggling to sleep and do normal activities.
Also, while I have some use of my right thumb, I recently discovered I can no longer make an L shape with my thumb and hand, so I have lost movement, making something as simple as picking up a glass difficult.
Any thoughts/suggestions would be welcome. I'm wondering should I wait for the full five weeks, get a second opinion, go to a general practitioner, etc.
Thanks for the response. The surgeon did mention there could complications, but did not get into specifics.
Thankyou. I have a lonstanding suspicion that surgeons tend not be as clear as they might be about the inherent risks of carpal tunnel decompression but it is almost impossible to gather quality data, despite modern procedures for consent. JB
Those symptoms sound predominantly like complications of cutting the ligament to open up the carpal tunnel I think. With luck they will indeed settle with time but sometimes this can be a persistent problem after surgery. Unfortunately there is no effective way to put the ligament back once you have cut it. Out of curiosity - did the surgeon warn you before surgery that there can be complications to this procedure? JB