Mark Merchant, who worked at a brick company for 42 years, began noticing numbness and cramping in his hands in 2006, but since it didn’t impact his life, he just lived with it. After retirement, however, when he had more time to mountain bike and fish, his hands would cramp up, and he had to stop.
That’s when Mark decided he had had enough. He went to see Dr. Stuart Hilliard at the North Texas Hand Center, who diagnosed him with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.
“Doctor Hilliard offered a variety of options, including splints, steroid injections, and carpal tunnel release,” says Mark. “I wanted a permanent solution, so I opted for carpal tunnel release immediately.”
Dr. Hilliard wanted to treat both hands with a less-invasive carpal tunnel release technique that relies on ultrasound guidance (CTR-US) using Sonex Health’s UltraGuideCTR™, but the paperwork associated with the procedure was taking some time to process. So, Dr. Hilliard proceeded to treat Mark’s dominant right hand using an endoscopic surgical approach. Two weeks later, Dr. Hilliard was able to perform CTR-US on Mark’s left hand.
Two Different Experiences
Mark says there was quite a difference between the two approaches. For the endoscopic surgery, he had to be put under general anesthesia at a hospital, which meant he needed someone to drive him to and from his appointment. And he says his hand was numb for several hours after the procedure.
As a precaution, Mark took half a painkiller medication for two nights following the procedure. Within two weeks, Mark says his hand felt OK, but he still couldn’t do some things, including opening a jar. “There wasn’t much pain, just discomfort. I had swelling for about 14 days or so through the palm of my hand,” recalls Mark. “I couldn’t do my favorite activities such as fishing or bike riding as I recovered. At four weeks, I was able to lift weights again. I still have some tightness in my wrist with articulation. It feels as if there’s a little scarring inside my hand.”
Faster Recovery with CTR-US
By contrast, Dr. Hilliard was able to perform CTR-US in his office. “They numbed my hand, and I was awake during the procedure. I heard all the conversation. I felt some pressure on my arm but nothing else. I was able to go out to eat afterwards and use my hand,” says Mark.
Mark reports that his hand was numb for several hours after the CTR-US procedure, and as a precaution, he again took half of a pill of painkiller, but only did that the first night. “In the morning, I felt pretty good. There was virtually no swelling and no bruising. The strange part is that within a week, my left hand felt as good as my right hand. My recovery was much quicker with CTR-US.” Indeed, within two weeks of his second procedure, Mark was back on his bike and lifting weights.If he had to do it all over again, Mark says he would definitely choose CTR-US and recommends the approach to others.
“I give it a five out of five. It was easier than the endoscopic procedure and I had a great — and fast — recovery.”
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