A patient at the Emory Orthopaedics and Spine Center recently became the first in Georgia to receive treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome with the SX-One MicroKnife™ surgical device. The device, which uses technology developed at the Mayo Clinic, is designed to allow physicians to perform carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery through a single micro-incision (4-5 mm) guided by ultrasound. The technology protects sensitive anatomy when cutting the transverse carpal ligament.
Kenneth Mautner, MD, a non-surgical sports medicine physician at the Emory Orthopaedics and Spine Center, performed the procedure.
“This is an exciting alternative for patients who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome but have hesitated to have surgical treatment due to long recovery and rehabilitation or unattractive scarring,” says, Mautner, who is considered a national leader in ultrasound- guided procedures.
Carpal tunnel syndrome affects more than 12 million Americans and results in 500,000 surgeries every year. It can be debilitating if left untreated. Traditional CTR procedures can remedy the condition but may result in large and sometimes painful scars, ongoing palmar pain and a long road to recovery.
