ORTHOPEDICS + SPORTS MEDICINE
Carpal Tunnel Release in Sarasota, FL
Endoscopic and Open Carpal Tunnel Release by Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Hand Surgeons
Carpal tunnel syndrome starts small: fingers that fall asleep on the steering wheel, tingling that wakes you at night, a grip that drops the coffee cup. Left alone, the compression on the median nerve can progress from annoying to permanent.
At Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine, carpal tunnel release is performed by board-certified, fellowship-trained hand and wrist surgeons recognized by Castle Connolly as 2026 Top Doctors, at our Sarasota location, with an endoscopic-first approach whenever your anatomy allows.
Is It Time for Carpal Tunnel Surgery?
Many patients start with splinting, activity changes, and injections, and for milder compression that can be enough. A complete evaluation, sometimes including a nerve study, confirms the diagnosis and how advanced it is.
Release becomes a consideration when numbness becomes constant, when night symptoms persist despite splinting, when grip weakness or thumb muscle changes appear, or when testing confirms moderate to severe compression.
When Carpal Tunnel Needs Surgery
Surgery has one job: releasing the ligament that forms the roof of the carpal tunnel, giving the median nerve room to breathe. It is a short, outpatient procedure, and the decision to do it is about timing.
Nerves that stay compressed too long recover slowly and sometimes incompletely, which is why persistent numbness and weakness are taken seriously rather than watched indefinitely.
Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release
The endoscopic technique releases the ligament from the inside using a small camera through a single small incision, sparing the skin and tissue of the palm. For the right candidate, that can mean less post-operative soreness and a quicker return to using the hand. Dr. Christopher Sforzo was the first surgeon to perform an endoscopic carpal tunnel release at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center.
Open Carpal Tunnel Release
The traditional open technique releases the same ligament through a small incision in the palm under direct view. It remains the right choice in certain situations, including revision surgery and anatomy that favors direct visualization.
Both techniques accomplish the same release. Your surgeon recommends the approach that fits your hand, honestly and specifically, at your consultation.
What to Expect: From Consultation to Recovery
Before Surgery
Your evaluation covers sensation, strength, and the specific positions that trigger your symptoms, sometimes with a nerve study to confirm how advanced the compression is. Most releases are performed with local anesthesia and light sedation.
Surgery and the First Weeks
The procedure itself takes minutes, not hours, and you go home the same day with a light bandage. Finger motion starts right away, light use of the hand returns within days, and grip strength rebuilds over the following weeks.
Physical Therapy
Most patients need little formal therapy, but when the hand is slow to loosen up, our occupational and hand therapy team works directly with your surgeon, in the same practice, to restore motion and strength.
Prefer to Start Without Surgery?
Not ready for surgery? Splinting, activity modification, and injections can control symptoms, particularly in milder cases, and injection-based options are available. Every option is presented honestly, including what the evidence supports and what it does not.
Why Patients Choose Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart
- Board-certified, fellowship-trained hand and wrist surgeons, recognized by Castle Connolly as 2026 Top Doctors
- Endoscopic-first techniques for smaller incisions and quicker return to activity
- Appointments built around you: morning, lunch-hour, or afternoon, often within the week
- If you call with a fracture or urgent injury, we work you in
- On-site occupational therapy, imaging, and a team that walks you from consult through recovery
From my first consultation with Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine, I knew I was in good hands. The surgeons are board-certified and fellowship-trained, which gave me the confidence in achieving a successful outcome.
— Bob Kirschner
Carpal Tunnel Release FAQs
Our hallmark is patient service. Appointments are scheduled around your preferences, morning, lunch hour, or afternoon, and urgent problems are worked in. Call (941) 378-5100 or request an appointment online.
Yes. We work with Medicare and most major insurance plans. Our team verifies your coverage before your visit so there are no surprises.
Both release the same ligament. The endoscopic technique works from inside the tunnel through a smaller incision, which can mean less soreness and a quicker return to activity. The open technique gives a direct view and remains right for certain hands. Your surgeon recommends the fit for yours.
Yes. The release typically takes minutes, is performed with local anesthesia and light sedation, and you go home the same day.
Light use of the hand returns within days, and grip strength rebuilds over the following weeks. Desk work usually resumes quickly; heavy gripping and manual labor take longer, guided by your surgeon.
Relief of night symptoms often comes quickly after release. Numbness from long-standing, severe compression can recover more gradually, and in some cases incompletely, which is why timing the surgery before permanent nerve changes matters.
Get Your Hands Back to Work and Life
Schedule an evaluation with our hand and wrist team in Sarasota. Morning, lunch-hour, and afternoon appointments available.