Office carpal tunnel release with wrist block and wrist tourniquet.

Carpal tunnel release is usually performed in a hospital setting with regional anesthesia. The cost for use of the hospital operating room, anesthesia, and surgeon's fee is quite excessive. Over the past 5 years we have performed carpal tunnel releases in the office setting using wrist block anesthesia and a wrist tourniquet. There have been no complications, and the 20 patients interviewed and examined for this article preferred the office procedure over the hospital procedure. Carpal tunnel release can be performed safely in the office, and is less expensive than when done in a hospital setting.