Many people feel anxious about going under the knife and re-sewing them. Others are understandably reluctant to treat carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, or hand arthritis because of the scars left by the incisions and stitches. Both reservations are valid and both of these reserves are not a problem with the endoscopic technique without sutures to treat carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

The idea of ​​having hand surgery without stitches sounds great. Hand surgery without a large incision sounds too good to be true. The fact is that this type of surgery exists, and it is performed by orthopedic hand surgeons every day.

What is the endoscopic technique without stitches?

The endoscopic technique without stitches is exactly what it sounds like; a surgical technique that leaves no visible incisions or sutures, and therefore does not leave scars. This is accomplished through the use of an endoscope. An endoscope is a thin, flexible tube, equipped with small LED lights and a camera that is connected to a monitor so that the surgeon can see what is happening.

How does it work?

For the treatment of CTS, the affected hand will be numbed with a local anesthetic. Then a small incision is made just above the wrist in the palm.

Next, the hand doctor will insert the endoscope. Once the scope is inserted through the small incision, it will guide the hand surgeon to the transverse carpal ligament. The ligament is cut because the carpal tunnel is too narrow for the median nerve to slide through.

By cutting the ligament, the carpal “tunnel” becomes more of a “channel”, which provides enough space for the nerve to pass without any friction to inflame the surrounding tissues.

After sectioning the transverse carpal ligament, the surgery is basically complete. All that is left for the surgeon to do is remove the scope and give instructions on how to care for his hand during his short recovery.

What does traditional open surgery involve?

In traditional open CTS surgery, a hand surgeon will make a large incision at the base of the palm of the hand to reach the transverse carpal ligament.

The ligament is cut, the skin is repositioned over the incision, and then it is sewn back together. The space where the transverse carpal ligament was cut will eventually fill with scar tissue over time.

What can you expect after the procedure?

Relief is almost immediate with an open or endoscopic procedure. The stitches in a traditional open operation will be ready to come out 10-14 days after surgery.

Once the stitches come out, heavy hand use should be restricted for up to 3 months. So of course there will be unavoidable scarring from the incision and posterior stitches.

With an endoscopic carpal tunnel release, there is no incision for re-sewing. Relief, again, is almost instant after surgery. The small incision will be covered with sterile strips that can usually be removed less than two weeks after surgery.

What are the benefits of a sutureless carpal tunnel release?

The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes in your hand doctor’s office and is 98% effective. Patients can expect same-day pain relief and much faster recovery time than with the open procedure.

This not only does not leave scars, it greatly reduces the risk of infection and complications after the procedure.

The endoscopic procedure without stitches is the most effective and least invasive procedure for the treatment of CTS. The stitchless technique can also be used in other hand and wrist procedures with the same results. There is no reason to live life with hand and wrist pain anymore. You can be pain and scar free in one afternoon.