Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common problem encountered by orthopaedic and hand surgeons. Numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, long, and radial half of the ring fingers are the most common symptoms. Pain is variable and night symptoms can be significant. If splinting and conservative care fail, surgery is the appropriate solution to allow for resolution of the syndrome. An open release with division of the transverse carpal ligament can be highly successful at al-leviating symptoms with 3 to 6 months for full recovery. The release of the median nerve and carpal tunnel can be performed as an outpa-tient under regional anesthesia. The procedure described can allow the hand and orthopaedic surgeon to cure the problem of carpal tunnel syndrome in a safe and successful fashion.
