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[apossible]

I have carpal tunnel in both hands.  Had surgery on the right hand the beginning of June this summer.  Waiting for it to heal, then will have surgery on the left hand.  No numbness in right hand since surgery, and I have about 90% use of my hand now.  The only real discomfort is the incision site.  The scar is bumpy and the area is very tender to touch.  Also, at the base of the scar, a single stitch was left in which caused inflammation.  Once the stitch was removed, the inflammation went away, but then came a bump.  The bump is hard and not full of fluid.  The doctor now thinks that having physical therapy on the hand will help.  Has anyone had this happen to them and if so, was the situation taken care of to where you had no more discomfort and the scar eventually healed nicely?

Thanks.

[biomancer]

Hi Apossible!  Sorry that you had to wait over a month for a reply... I just finally joined the fora after lurking for about 7 years.

I had CT surgery on my right hand 7.5 years ago, and my father had it in both hands and had surgery on both.  Both of us form keloid scars (the really hard scars that stick out) so I was extra-careful about scar management.  Starting the day the stitches came out, for about a year, I massaged the scar with a mixture of vitamin E and cocoa butter (both purchased as pure ingredients at the local health food store).  It really made a difference, and after about 8 months most of the tough bits of the scar were gone.  Since your scar has had a few months to heal and thicken, the PT might be a big help - and they can probably show you the most effective way to massage the scar to break it down.

I'm happy to report that I got all of my dexterity and feeling back, though my hand strength is only about 70% of what it was.  (However, the surgeon felt that part of why I got CTS in the first place is that my hands were far too strong for my wrists, so now I'm just dealing with being "normal" in grip strength.)  However, I now have arthritis in the hand and wrist (just like every other joint I ever injured).

I wish you luck with diminishing the scar!

[siduri]

I had surgery on my right hand in January.  Dexterity and strength pretty much back to normal. The right hand sometimes seems a little stiff and I get an occasional twinge at the scar site. But overall, a success at nine months

My doctor told me, once the stitches were out, to massage the scar with lotion several times a day, every 2-3 hours or so.  I don't have any bumps at the scar site at all, and so I assume that's why I was supposed to do it, although I didn't realize this until your (and biomancer's) post.  And the side benefit is baby-soft hands!