A common carpal tunnel surgery at surgery center facility in Washington includes
| |
Units |
Avg Cash price |
Provider |
Hand surgeon visit provider fee
First time visit
Standard
|
1 |
$153 |
Provider fee to release and/or relocate ulnar (arm) nerve at wrist, or median nerve at carpal tunnel
Standard
Standard
|
1 |
$602 |
Facility |
Surgery center fee to release and/or relocate ulnar (arm) nerve at wrist, or median nerve at carpal tunnel
Standard
Standard
|
1 |
$1,108 |
Imaging |
Radiology fee for wrist x-ray
2 views
Standard
|
1 |
$51 |
Anesthesia |
Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure
Level 2
Standard
|
1 |
$149 |
Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure
Per minute
Standard
|
171 |
$380 |
Total average cash price |
|
A common carpal tunnel surgery at outpatient hospital facility in Washington includes
| |
Units |
Avg Cash price |
Provider |
Hand surgeon visit provider fee
First time visit
Standard
|
1 |
$153 |
Provider fee to release and/or relocate ulnar (arm) nerve at wrist, or median nerve at carpal tunnel
Standard
Standard
|
1 |
$602 |
Facility |
Outpatient Hospital fee to release and/or relocate ulnar (arm) nerve at wrist, or median nerve at carpal tunnel
level 1
Standard
|
1 |
$2,391 |
Imaging |
Radiology fee for wrist x-ray
2 views
Standard
|
1 |
$51 |
Anesthesia |
Anesthesiologist fee to be "put under" for procedure
Level 2
Standard
|
1 |
$149 |
Anesthesiologist time to be "put under" for procedure
Per minute
Standard
|
171 |
$380 |
Total average cash price |
|
Carpal tunnel surgery is a surgical procedure to relieve pressure on a nerve in the wrist that causes the pain, numbness, and tingling associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, your health insurance should cover carpal tunnel surgery.
The carpal tunnel is a passageway in your wrists that is formed by bones and muscle ligaments. The nerve that lets you move your fingers runs through the carpal tunnel. Repetitive stress injuries, pregnancy, sudden weight gain, or a genetic predisposition can cause swelling in your wrist, narrowing the carpal tunnel. When this happens, the nerve becomes pinched and can’t function as well. To relieve pain and regain function, your doctor may advise you to get carpal tunnel surgery.
During surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, you shouldn’t experience any pain. The surgery is done under local anesthesia. The anesthesiologist injects numbing medication into your hand and wrist. You may feel some pressure during the procedure.
After the surgery, you may have some discomfort and tenderness around the incision site. For most patient’s this pain is mild and can be controlled with pain medications at home. Your wrist may have some swelling for the first few days after surgery that can cause some mild discomfort.
Carpal tunnel surgery is a quick procedure lasting around 15 minutes. However, you may spend up to an hour in the operating room being prepared for the procedure and waiting for the numbing medication to take effect.
After carpal tunnel surgery, you’ll need to be observed for a few hours to make sure you are recovering well. The numbing medication wears off after 2-3 hours. As it is an outpatient treatment, you’ll be able to go home the same day.
If you have chronic carpal tunnel syndrome and no other treatments have helped reduce your symptoms, then carpal tunnel surgery might be worth it. Carpal tunnel surgery can permanently relieve carpal tunnel syndrome for some patients. For others, it provides significant relief of pain and numbness.
However, carpal tunnel surgery isn’t without risks, including scar tissue development that can impede grip strength and dexterity and loss of range of motion in the wrist and thumb. Discuss any potential risk factors with your doctor before deciding on surgery.
Carpal tunnel surgery is only one treatment option for carpal tunnel syndrome. Before carpal tunnel surgery, your doctor can help reduce your symptoms with other treatments like steroid injections and wrist splints.
Without any treatment, carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to permanent damage and loss of function and sensation in your fingers and hand. If you’ve tried other treatments and nothing has worked, you should discuss carpal tunnel surgery with your doctor. Before you go to the office, you can check the average price of carpal tunnel surgery in your area.
Recovery from carpal tunnel surgery takes at least one month. After your surgery, your wrist needs to be in a splint for 1 to 2 weeks. Once the splint is removed, you can work with a physical therapist to strengthen the muscles in your hand and wrist the right way to avoid recurrence of symptoms.
Full recovery from carpal tunnel surgery is when you no longer have pain gripping or moving your fingers. This can take up to 12 weeks for some patients.
You can use your hand for light tasks immediately after carpal tunnel surgery. This can be holding a glass or a book, but nothing weighing more than a pound. You can wiggle your fingers to keep them from getting stiff. Avoid gripping with your hand until after your stitches and splint have been removed.
About the carpal tunnel surgery Average Cash Prices
This procedure is most commonly performed at either a surgery center or an outpatient hospital.
Surgery centers, also known as ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), are independent, licensed medical
facilities that are governed by distinct regulatory requirements compared with a hospital. Procedures
performed at an ASCs are often less expensive than when they are performed at an outpatient hospital,
but they typically offer fewer complimentary services, and may not have the full-range of support
services that a hospital provides.
Outpatient facilities are outpatient departments or clinics that may be within or next to a hospital,
but is owned and run by the affiliated hospital. These facilities can perform surgical treatments and
procedures that do not require an overnight stay. Procedures performed at an outpatient hospital are
often more expensive than when they are performed in an ambulatory surgery center, but outpatient
hospitals may offer more complimentary and support services for patients because they are connected to
the hospital system.
