Vicki Intro: Welcome to Discussions with the Doc.
This is a healthcare podcast brought to you by Coffee Regional Medical Center
in Douglas, Georgia, where our mission is to provide exceptional care and
wellness close to home. Join us as we learn more about rural healthcare in
South Georgia.

Maggie McKay (Host): At a certain age, most people
know somebody who has suffered from carpal tunnel or trigger finger. But now,
there's good news, rapid relief from carpal tunnel pain. Our guest today, Dr.
Laura Tharp, orthopedic surgeon, specializing in hands, wrists and elbows, will
tell us more about this exciting option.

Host: This is Discussions With The Doc, a podcast
from Coffee Regional Medical Center. I'm your host, Maggie McKay. Welcome, Dr.
Tharp. We are so excited to have you back today to tell us about the exciting
news regarding treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger.

Dr. Laura Tharp: Thank you for having me today.

Host: Absolutely. First of all, tell us a little bit
about yourself and your medical background.

Dr. Laura Tharp: Certainly. I have been an orthopedic
surgeon since 2013. And I generally focus on hand, wrist and elbow. I received
my medical degree from Mercer University and continued my education by doing an
orthopedic surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. This
was followed by a fellowship in Hands, Wrists and Elbows at the University of
Miami. I joined my current practice, Orthopedic Surgeons of Georgia, in 2014
and have treated patients from all over the southeast these past 10 years.

Host: That's so great to hear. I can certainly see
where your patients benefit from expertise and knowledge that you have by
focusing on your specialty. Dr. Tharp, tell us a little bit more about this new
treatment that I gather is beneficial to your patients in many ways.

Dr. Laura Tharp: Absolutely. Let's first talk just a
little bit about both carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger. Carpal tunnel
syndrome or CTS is a very common ailment where the median nerve is compressed
by the transverse carpal ligament. The most common symptoms are numbness and
tingling in the fingers, particularly the thumb index and middle finger. We
typically diagnose this in an office setting with a physical exam of the
patient's hand and wrist. I also sometimes use an EMG or nerve conduction study
to formally diagnose. We don't know why exactly people get this, but it is
frequently seen in patients who have day-to-day repetitive motions.

Host: That's so interesting. I can imagine with the
digital age we're in that you must see a lot of patients who experience carpal
tunnel syndrome from daily typing on a computer.

Dr. Laura Tharp: That's correct. I certainly do, and
that is why our newest treatment is so exciting. So many of my patients are
working adults who just don't have much downtime from work.

Host: Exactly. Now, tell us about trigger finger.
What is that?

Dr. Laura Tharp: The trigger finger is a relatively
common condition that affects the flexor tendon of the fingers. The flexor
tendons run from the forearm to the ends of the finger across the palm side of
the hand. This is how you control bending your fingers. And these tendons are
essential to grip. The flexor tendons pass through a pulley system in the
finger. When the first pulley called the A1 pulley swells or thickens, trigger
finger occurs.

Host: Okay. Now, that you've given us the basics of
carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger, let's talk about this exciting new
treatment.

Dr. Laura Tharp: Sure. Traditional carpal tunnel and
trigger finger release is a surgery that typically requires sedation and an
incision to access the affected tendons and nerve. This incision in the palm of
the hand results in a lengthier recovery due to the sensitivity of the palm,
which makes it difficult to grip or to apply pressure to that area. We are now
offering a new ultrasound-guided approach that is less invasive and the
incisions are much smaller, often even referred to as a micro-incision. Most
patients do not even require sutures in the carpal tunnel procedure or the
trigger finger procedure. The realtime ultrasound-guided approach can be
performed in minutes and has just been beneficial all around for my patients.

Host: Very interesting. What is the recovery time on
these procedures?

Dr. Laura Tharp: The decreased recovery time is
probably the biggest benefit of this technique. So many of my patients must
plan their carpal tunnel release or trigger finger release procedures around
their work schedules because of the downtime and the time it takes to recover.
Using this realtime ultrasound-guided technique, most patients can return to
work or the activities they love within days rather than weeks.

Host: That's amazing. How great. Time is definitely
what we all need more of, that's for sure. What other benefits can be found
with the ultrasound-guided technology?

Dr. Laura Tharp: This new technique allows for a
local anesthetic only if the patient opts for this technique, which means that
the patient is awake and we only numb the area that we are working on. We perform
these procedures in our day surgery suite, which is very relaxing and
non-intimidating.

Host: This has been so informative. Thank you for
sharing with us today, Dr. Tharp. Do you have any closing remarks before we
wrap it up?

Dr. Laura Tharp: Thank you for having me. I would
encourage our listeners to learn more about this new ultrasound-guided
technique if you have postponed treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome or trigger
finger. The procedure is covered by most insurances and can truly change the
trajectory of a patient's livelihood. Orthopedic Surgeons of Georgia is happy
to offer consults and speak with you to answer any questions. Just give us a
call at (912) 383-6575 or stop by our clinic to schedule an appointment. Our
office is located next to Coffee Regional Medical Center on the second floor of
Doctors 100 Building.

Host: Thank you so much again for making the time to
be here today. That was fascinating. Again, that's Dr. Laura Tharp. You can
also visit orthopedicsurgeonsofga.com to find out more. If you found this
podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out the full
podcast library for topics of interest to you. This has been Discussions With
The Doc, a podcast from Coffee Regional Medical Center. Thank you for listening.

Vicki Outro: We've decided to create this podcast to
educate our community and enlighten those throughout our great nation about
rural healthcare. We hope you subscribe and enjoy discussions with the doc.
Thank you for listening to this podcast sponsored by Coffee Regional Medical
Center, where our purpose is to serve, to heal, to save. This concludes today's
episode of Discussions with the doc. We invite you to download, subscribe,
rate, and review our podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, and Spotify. For
more episodes and information on our providers and services, visit us
online@coffeeregional.org. This program aims to enhance your health and
wellness knowledge by fulfilling the vision of coffee Regional medical center
healthy lifestyles, better lives.

disclaimer: None of the information provided in this
episode should serve as a diagnosis or approval of the treatment for any
ailment. The information and opinions provided in the podcast do not create any
type of doctor-patient relationship by listening to this podcast. You agree not
to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either
yourself or others, including, but not limited to patients that you are
treating.

Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you
may be having. The opinions of the guests do not necessarily represent the
opinion of Coffee Regional Medical Center.