Sick leave and incapacity to work

In principle, no general statement can be made about sick leave or incapacity to work after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery. Various aspects must be taken into account in order to ensure that the duration of the sick leave is appropriate. These include the surgical method (open or endoscopic), complications during the operation or risk factors after the operation and the demands of the profession on the hand.

Generally, the hand should not be loaded for six weeks after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery. In most cases, one can assume that the patient will be on sick leave for 3 to 4 weeks. No sports should be done during this period.

Due to the various aspects involved, it is advisable to clarify with the attending physician the period of time during which the individual sick note will be cancelled. Unpredictable complications can of course always prolong the recovery and thus the duration of the sick leave. However, patients are often able to move their hand again without pain and with little stress after only 3 weeks.

Roadworthiness

The cost of carpal tunnel syndrome surgery depends on the type of insurance (private or statutory) and the surgical method (“open” or endoscopic). Depending on the insurance company, outpatient or inpatient surgery may also be another aspect. The endoscopically performed carpal tunnel syndrome operation is somewhat more expensive, as it involves higher material costs.

This includes, among other things, the knife to be used only once to open the carpal tunnel. Without additional payment for extra services, the financial costs of a carpal tunnel syndrome operation can be expected to be between €200 and €2,000. The issue of costs should always be discussed in advance with the treating physician in order to be prepared for possible additional costs.

Risks

There is no surgery without risks. Thus, in exceptional cases, there may be disturbances in the wound healing or a worsened movement of the whole hand. Since some patients have a small skin nerve that runs perpendicular to the direction of the incision, an injury to the skin nerve cannot be ruled out, especially in this case.

In such cases, an almost punctiform pressure point develops in the scar, which has an “electrified” effect. In very rare cases, the fine blood circulation of the hand can be disturbed, resulting in severe movement disorders, swelling of the hand and pain. In this case one speaks of Sudeck’s disease, the cause of which is largely unknown.

Purely theoretically, the more serious injury to the median nerve is also possible. However, this complication is very rare for an experienced hand surgeon. Caution: As a rule, the scars are hardly visible after about 1 – 2 years.

However, it is important to note that scars on the hand are always more sensitive than scars on other parts of the body. This is due to the fact that the hand has a very high density of sensory nerves. It is quite normal if after 6 or 8 weeks you feel the scar uncomfortably when using your hand daily. At this time, the scars are also reddened and may be somewhat thicker.