Surgery Waiting List

I don't directly control that waiting list and it is rather variable - anything from about 2-10 weeks seems to have been the range in recent months. If Michael Nicholas is watching the forum he may be able to give you a better idea as he does much of the surgery. Have you already been seen in the hand clinic and put on the waiting list for surgery or are you still waiting to get from general practice to the hand clinic?  JB

No i havent been seen by the hand clinic yet, all I know is I am waiting to see a Mr Smith presumably before they decide to go ahead with the surgery? it be best to ring and find out?

Thanks for your prompt response

Best Regards

Your GP will have referred you to Mr Smith for treatment after getting the results of the tests from us. He or she could have asked me to arrange treatment at the time of the test and I would have sorted it out for you but some GPs prefer to make their own arrangements for CTS rather than asking me. Doing it this way means you are now waiting for an appointment with the hand surgeon where a decision will be made on treatment, which may or may not be surgery and once a decision on treatment is reached there will then be a further queue for that to be done. JB

Ok thank you that makes sense now! Thank you for that info it is most helpful

Best regards

A pleasure - they could of course also treat it with steroid injection rather than surgery which would be quicker and more convenient, but at the cost of quite probably being temporary. JB

Update: I have now been to the hand clinic and been put on the waiting list for surgery and am under Mr Weatherall at Canterbury. They were so understanding and helpful and have reassured me no end.

With a bit of luck, I am hoping that I shall be able to have surgery just before Christmas.

Just wanted to say this is a great website, lots of useful info and many thanks for your valuable input

Best wishes

Sam

So that's about 9-10 weeks from the nerve conduction studies to getting seen in the hand clinic. It's always interesting to see how patients flow through the 'other' pathway - ie the one that does not involve my carpal tunnel clinic. If you let me know what date they come up with for surgery that will be interesting too. JB

I am delighted to say that I have received a phone call from KCH offering me a cancellation appointment for surgery on 15th November! And if I remember correctly, Mr McDonnell will be performing it.

Regards

Sam

Well that's inside the old government 14 week referral to treatment target so I guess that is not bad for an elective procedure like carpal tunnel decompression at a time when the NHS is distinctly 'stressed'. Hopefully it will turn out well. JB