

Work: You may go back to work whenever you feel comfortable doing so.However, if sedation was used, you should refrain from driving until the day after surgery. Driving: You may begin driving directly after surgery if you were under local anesthesia only (no sedation).Recovery time: In general, you may resume normal activities as soon as you feel comfortable. Also during that first visit, you will go to physical therapy to be fitted for a custom splint, which you will need to wear for 3-4 weeks. As the sutures are absorbable, no suture removal is needed. If general anesthesia is used, you will need to remain in the hospital to be monitored for about one hour.ĭressing, sutures and splints: You will have a dressing on your hand for 10-14 days after surgery, to be removed at your first visit after the procedure. If only local anesthetic is used (no sedation), you may leave right after surgery. You will be allowed to slowly resume eating right after surgery, but you will need to designate a friend or family member to be there after surgery to receive your discharge instructions and drive you home. The same medication restrictions apply – no anti-inflammatories or blood thinners for at least five days prior. General anesthesia: The procedure is performed using general anesthesia. Because this approach involves sedation, patients may not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery unless otherwise specifically instructed (for diabetic patients, we will make every attempt to schedule your procedure as the first case of the day).Remember to avoid anti-inflammatory or blood-thinning medications for at least five days before the procedure. Because there is no sedation, patients can eat and drink prior to the procedure, and drive themselves to and from surgery if desired. More anesthesia can be injected directly before surgery if necessary. This provides adequate time for the surrounded area to absorb the anesthetic. Awake during surgery (no sedation): About 20-30 minutes prior to the procedure, local anesthesia will be injected into the affected hand.Anesthesia Optionsįirst dorsal compartment release surgery can be performed with or without sedation: Dietary restrictions and other preparation details vary depending on the type of anesthesia used during the procedure. In most cases, you will be able to resume taking these medications again the day after surgery. Preparing for SurgeryĪnti-inflammatory or blood-thinning medications such as aspirin should not be taken at least five days before surgery. The incision is closed with absorbable sutures, and a splint covered with an ace wrap is applied. Additional removal of thickened tendon lining may be necessary. During the procedure, an incision is made just below the tip of the radial styloid, and the first dorsal compartment is opened. © American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.įirst dorsal compartment release is a surgical procedure that involves releasing the tendon sheath to relieve the constriction of the tendons as they pass though the sheath. Surgical Treatment Option: First Dorsal Compartment Release Reproduced with permission from OrthoInfo. To learn more about the causes and symptoms of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, click the button below: In addition to inflammation and swelling, fine fibers of scar tissue can form between the sheaths and tendons.Ĭontinue reading for more detailed information about first dorsal compartment release surgery. When inflamed, the sheath lining thickens, thereby reducing the amount of space through which the tendons are able to pass. These tendons glide through a protective covering called a tendon sheath – a thin membrane that helps reduce friction as the tendons glide through the tendon sheath. This condition results from inflammation and swelling around the tendons that run along the thumb-side of the wrist.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2005.įirst dorsal compartment (De Quervain’s) release surgery is a treatment option for patients with De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. First Dorsal Compartment Release Reproduced with permission from: Griffin LY (ed): Essentials of Musculoskeletal Care, 3rd Edition.
