Jancy Jaslow on tue 18 jan 00
John Rodgers queried my carpal tunnel incision (just a mite pink now, still
tender, and the hand is weak), which follows one of the vertical lines in my
palm.
I consulted two orthopedic surgeons. I felt they were both straightforward
with me, and I explained, in a gentle but clear way, that I did not wish the
outcome I had experienced with a local "hand expert" two years ago when I had
ganglion surgery: I was incapacitated for a long time, and I have a complex
scar that looks like I ran my hand through a window, from elective surgery!
One of the orthopods had had carpal tunnel surgery ... on each hand (done by
the "hand expert"). I heard about the two-incision method, but his feeling
was that some patients complained afterward, with that method (he implied,
complications or dissatisfaction) and nothing of consequence had transpired
when he had used the single incision. He had single incisions on each of his
palms.
As an aside, he said, in his opinion, stitches were sometimes left in too
long, and could contribute to the noticeability of a scar (which was a
practice of the 'hand expert'. My consulting surgeon took his own stitches
out after his own second surgery, because he felt the other guy waited too
long). I was also advised to massage, gently, the scar area, with the goo
from a Vitamin E capsule....to keep the skin supple as it heals.
I am not an MD, so if some of my 'hearsay' testimony sounds suspect, ask your
surgeon!
My surgery was done on 12/10. The least comfortable part(s) were the
anesthetic injection, and the tourniquet... and I thought my fingers were
numb before! I am working on my flexibility, and would be much happier if I
didn't also have tendonitis!
Jancy Jaslow
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