Carpal Tunnel Vision
Don D
9,834 Posts
In preparation for a safety meeting, I've been scrambling and calling places trying to get a ballpark figure and it dawned on me that I could get it here, maybe.
Who can give a ballpark figure, from your experience, as to what carpal tunnel surgery and rehab runs, including all costs (hospital, surgeon, anesth). I have figures for knee, shoulder and back but need this one too. Thanks in advance.
The point is to show that it makes much more sense to spend $100-$500 for work station retrofit than it does to face the music or work comp surgery.
Who can give a ballpark figure, from your experience, as to what carpal tunnel surgery and rehab runs, including all costs (hospital, surgeon, anesth). I have figures for knee, shoulder and back but need this one too. Thanks in advance.
The point is to show that it makes much more sense to spend $100-$500 for work station retrofit than it does to face the music or work comp surgery.
Comments
Peyton Irby
Editor, Mississippi Employment Law Letter
Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A.
(601) 949-4810
[email]pirby@watkinsludlam.com[/email]
good luck
Becky
This EE has state of the art work station but still got carpal tunnel.
1) Carpal tunnel is NOT caused by work, it is aggravated by work. It is caused by simply having a "tunnel" that is anatomically too small. The presenter said Kentucky does not pay work comp on carpal tunnel claims. Haven’t followed up to see if it’s true.
2) 1/10 people have it, 1/5 over 30. Women are more likely to get it. It has been around forever, but was frequently misdiagnosed as arthritis or tendonitis. It is usually in both wrists, since it is the way a person is made, not how they use their hands.
3) Pressure in the “tunnel” for a person without CT when their wrist is fully flexed or extended (so your wrist and forearm try to make a 90 degree angle) is similar to pressure for a person with CT when their wrist is in the neutral, non-bent position.
4) The earlier it’s treated, the better the outcome. “Treatments” such as cortisone shots, physical therapy, ergonomics, and time off don’t really help. Splints help, but don’t solve the problem.
5) There is a type of surgery called Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release where they make two small slits (they only use a sedative and local anesthesia) and go in with a tiny camera and tiny tools. The patient could potentially return to work as soon as the next day with restrictions of keeping their hands dry, no pounding, and no use of vibrating tools (like a jackhammer).
I have one employee moving toward surgery, and I have talked to him about seeing a doctor that performs the ECTR to see how it goes. Does anybody else have any experience along these lines? It really set everything I know about CT out on its ear.
[url]www.carpaltunnelrelief.net[/url]
and then click on bibliography. I believe if you find an article you'd like to read, e-mail them and request it.
This guy seems to be the real deal; those of you who aren't lucky enough to live in the Husker state might be able to contact him and see if he knows of docs in other states that perform this procedure.
Safety, did your ees have any trepidations going into this procedure? Did you suggest it or did they/their docs?
I would be interested in knowing, assuming that you know, the speciality area of the surgeon that performed the (3) "15 minute" procedures. And, do you know the specific medical procedure performed?
Our experience is that the procedure has become very expensive...$15,000+ compared to just $3,000-5,000 only a few years ago.
The chart I have shows carpal tunnel surgery costing between $4,000 - $6,000 with this doc and $16,000 for other docs. That doesn't even count the lost time and etc., and it appears the ECTR puts you out a couple of days versus weeks with the open surgery.
Good luck with getting work station changes - I have tried to sell job rotation but had no success. However, I also have had a few employees with CTS who have not claimed it to be work-related, otherwise we would really have taken it on the chin this year.
I can get you some information on the cost of surgery in the MidAtlantic states if needed, just let me know. However, my surgeries were many moons ago, so my figures wouldn't help you any.
As far as additional problems, I haven't had any additional problems and no disability claims . . .
but then, I fractured my wrist (after having Carpal Tunnel surgery) and had to have pins put in on a Friday and was back to work on Monday . . . so maybe I'm not the right person to ask about disability . . .
Let me know if you want the figures for the surgery . . .