Until recently, the only surgical treatment offered was to sever the lacertus through a 15-centimeter-long “S” shaped incision in the forearm. The surgery was performed under general or regional anesthesia, and required a recovery of several weeks. The results were uncertain due to the aggressiveness of the approach and its complications.
Today, its treatment is much less invasive thanks to development in surgical and anesthetic techniques. The procedure is now carried out under local anesthesia (WALANT – Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet) on a patient who is fully awake, which makes it possible to confirm the immediate return of muscle strength and to verify, directly, the result of the decompression. The recovery of strength is often spectacular.
This method has the advantage of avoiding complications and side effects associated with intravenous anesthetic drugs, and fasting for twelve hours is no longer required.
Postoperative pain and swelling are reduced which speeds up recovery and return to normal activities.
The incision, made in the natural crease of the elbow, is only about 2 centimeters-long.
In patients operated on with the WALANT surgical method previously described and used by Dr. Brutus, return to office work is possible usually within 24 to 48 hours later, while physical labour is possible usually after 10-14 days. Rehabilitation is not necessary and the risk of recurrence is low.
