- Reference Number: HEY288/2025
- Departments: Plastic Surgery
- Last Updated: 31 July 2025
Introduction
This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about what to expect following your surgery. Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and the healthcare team, but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team.
What is Carpal Tunnel Decompression?
Carpal tunnel decompression is an operation to divide the tight ligament that compresses the median nerve as it enters the hand. Its aim is to reduce the symptoms of pain, tingling and numbness. You will have been given a leaflet entitled ‘Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options’ which explains this surgery in greater detail.
What To Expect Following Your Operation
After your surgery your hand will be in a bulky dressing. We would encourage you to move your thumb and fingers as much as is comfortable. Some degree of discomfort is common but regular paracetamol and ibuprofen are usually excellent painkillers. The discomfort usually settles over a few weeks but occasional stabbing pain, scar pain and aching discomfort when gripping objects may persist for 3 to 4 months. Elevating your hand for the first few days is likely to help keep any swelling and pain to a minimum.
How To Manage Your Dressings
Please remove the bandage from your hand 2 to 3 days after your surgery. There will be a small adhesive plaster covering the wound which can be left in place for up to 10 days. Do not worry if the dressing peels away earlier, it does not need replacing. Please keep your wound clean and dry for at least 48 hours. Try and massage your scar with simple moisturising cream twice daily for at least 6 weeks, starting as soon as possible after your operation.
Complication and Signs to Look Out For
Infection – redness, increasing pain, wound discharge
Bleeding – excessive bleeding from the wound (a little dried blood on the dressing is normal)
Stiffness – your hand should be moving ‘normally’ within 2 weeks
Pain – any severe or increasing discomfort
Follow Up Plan
We do not routinely need to bring you back to the outpatient clinic following your surgery. Following discussion with you we will arrange either a Patient Initiated Follow Up (this enables you to contact us in the three months after the operation if you have any concerns and would like to be seen), or an appointment to see you in the outpatient clinic 6 to 8 weeks after surgery particularly if you have similar problems affecting the other hand. If you have any concerns or problems before then please contact us as detailed below:
