Right now you’re learning all about carpal tunnel surgery & anesthesia because your doctor may have recommended this procedure for you. Since your severe carpal tunnel symptoms are forcing you to have this operation, you probably want to know a bit more. And who wouldn't? 

Here are the most common questions about preparation for carpal tunnel surgery, anesthesia used, and your recovery. Of course, if you have any questions, big or small, ask your doctor. Your doctor will want you to feel comfortable, so don't be shy!

• FIND OUT: do you have carpal tunnel? No strings attached self-test.

Learning about carpal tunnel syndrome  also includes getting answers to your questions about the actual surgery. In fact, the most common questions patients have about their upcoming surgery are:

• What kind of anesthesia will I get?
• How long will I be under anesthesia? 
• Will I feel anything during surgery?
• How long is my recovery time? 
• What degree of pain will I feel?
• Will my symptoms be totally gone?

Patients should first learn which surgical technique the doctor will use. The technique determines everything else down the road. The 2 general techniques used are:

In general, the anesthesia you get depends on the type of surgery you have. That means the surgery can be:

• open carpal tunnel release surgery
  
• endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery

The actual surgical procedure for either technique is very similar. And you go through similar surgical stages. Your post-op recovery period is also similar from one technique to the other.

It's best that you're comfortable knowing what will happen and when. Understanding the various stages is important so you feel at ease going into the surgery. And knowing what to expect with your anesthesia will help reduce anxiety when the anesthesia mask goes over your face. 

You and your carpal tunnel doctor will discuss the pros and cons of different anesthesia types. Also, the doctor will tell you his or her preferred anesthesia method for your particular circumstances. 

In general, the anesthesia you get depends on the type of surgery you'll have (open versus endoscopic). This means the anesthesia you get might be regional or general.

With the regional anesthesia (or axillary block - meaning in the armpit) you’re awake during the operation. The injection will numb your entire arm. In addition, you’ll also get other medicines through an Intravenous (IV) line to relax you.

This axillary block will numb all pain sensations in your arm. However, because you’re still awake during the procedure you might feel some pushing or pressure in the wrist during the actual operation.

The big advantages of regional carpal tunnel surgery anesthesia are:

1. Your recovery time for carpal tunnel surgery is much faster.
    
2. The doctor can expect fewer complications.

Also as a result, your post-op comfort level is greater. This increases your overall comfort during the recovery period. In addition, regional anesthesia is less expensive than general anesthesia.

This type of anesthesia will put you to sleep during the carpal tunnel release surgery. In fact, it puts you in a light sleep state where you won’t be aware of pain or pressure during surgery. At first, you’ll breathe through an oxygen mask. 

Next, the doctor injects medicine into your IV line to relax you as you drift off. Sometimes, once you’re asleep, the doctor inserts a breathing tube down your windpipe to assist your breathing during the operation. The doctor can also administer other medicines through the IV line or the breathing tube.

The advantage to having general anesthesia is that there is much less anxiety. When wide awake during surgery, patients feel nervous about their environment. For example, they see the commotion in the room and hear noises all around them. Also, they can feel pushing and probing inside their wrist. Such sensations an be unnerving for some people. However, being asleep during the procedure avoids all that.

Complications from using anesthesia during carpal tunnel surgery are not unusual. Your doctor can answer your questions about the possible side effects of anesthesia, and the most common complications. These are listed below in order of their probability.

1. The most common problem with any anesthesia is an adverse reaction to the anesthetic drug. As a result, it can change blood pressure rapidly and dangerously.
   
   
2. Many problems can occur during the process of inserting the breathing tube. For instance, inserting the tube may result in breathing fluid into the lungs during the procedure.
   
   
3. Dangerously increased heart rate can result from the anesthetic.
   
   
4. A patient’s temperature can rise quickly as a reaction to anesthesia, and it can be life threatening. Called malignant hyperthermia, this reaction to anesthesia is more common if the patient has once had a similar episode in a prior operation.