Peripheral Nerve Surgery in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is peripheral nerve surgery?
Peripheral nerves are the cables that run from the spinal cord out to the skin and muscles of the limbs. They carry feeling in and movement signals out, and along their route they pass through tight tunnels of bone, ligament and muscle where they can be squeezed.
Peripheral nerve surgery covers three kinds of operation. Decompression releases a nerve that is trapped in one of those tunnels. Repair rejoins a nerve that has been cut or torn. Excision removes a lump growing on or beside a nerve while protecting the working fibres around it.
The best-known example is carpal tunnel syndrome at the wrist, which has its own page on carpal tunnel release. This page covers the nerves further along the limb. At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, these operations are performed by the neurosurgeon of the Neurosurgery department.
Who needs it
The commonest trapped nerve after the wrist is the ulnar nerve at the elbow, the same nerve you knock when you hit your "funny bone". It causes tingling in the ring and little fingers, often worse at night or after holding a phone, and in time a weaker grip and clumsy fine movements. Long drives with the elbow resting on the door or armrest, and sleeping with the arms tightly bent, both press on it.
The peroneal nerve wraps around the outside of the knee just below the skin. Pressure there, from habitual leg crossing, long periods of squatting or kneeling, a tight plaster, or rapid weight loss that thins the protective fat, can weaken the muscles that lift the foot. The toes then catch on steps, a pattern called foot drop.
Other reasons for surgery include a cut to the hand, forearm or leg followed by numbness beyond the wound, a nerve damaged in a fracture, and a lump on a nerve, usually a benign schwannoma or neurofibroma.
For mild compression, the first step is usually changing the habit that presses on the nerve: a splint that keeps the elbow straighter at night, padding for the armrest, and uncrossed legs. Surgery is considered when symptoms persist, when muscle wasting or weakness appears, or when tests show the nerve is losing function. A clean cut to a nerve is a different decision, because an early repair gives the regrowing fibres the best route to follow. Your surgeon explains which group you are in and what each option offers.
What happens
Diagnosis starts with an examination of feeling, strength and muscle bulk. A nerve conduction study and EMG measures how well signals pass along the nerve and pinpoints the site of trouble. Ultrasound shows a swollen or trapped nerve, and MRI is used for lumps and deeper nerves.
A decompression releases the band of tissue pressing on the nerve. At the elbow, the nerve is sometimes also moved to the front of the joint so it lies slack when the arm bends. A repair brings the cut ends together with very fine stitches, and where a gap remains, a short graft of a less important sensory nerve can bridge it. Removing a nerve tumour means separating the growth from the healthy fibres around it. The surgeon may use magnification for this fine work.
Many decompressions are done under a regional anaesthetic that numbs only the limb; larger operations use a general anaesthetic. See Anaesthesiology.
Preparing for it
Bring your nerve conduction report, any scans on disc, and a list of your medicines, including blood thinners. Diabetes care matters here, because steady blood sugar helps both healing and nerve recovery. Stopping smoking improves blood supply to the healing nerve.
Plan for a period of limited use of the hand or leg. Drivers, delivery riders, and people whose work involves heavy lifting or long hours at a keyboard should talk to their employer early. If surgery falls during Ramadan, your team can advise on medicines and fluids around the fast.
Afterwards
Nerves recover slowly. The fibres regrow from the site of the operation towards the fingers or foot, so feeling and strength return over months, sometimes longer, and the timeline depends on the length of nerve to cover and your age. A moving line of tingling along the limb is often a sign of regrowth. Pain and night-time tingling after a decompression often ease sooner than numbness or weakness.
Hand therapy or physiotherapy is arranged by referral to keep joints supple and retrain muscles while the nerve catches up.
Skin that is still numb can burn without warning, so in the UAE summer protect it from hot steering wheels, seatbelt buckles and cooking surfaces, and check it daily. Keep well hydrated in the heat while the wound heals.
Contact the hospital if the wound becomes red, hot, swollen or leaks, if you develop a fever, or if numbness or weakness gets clearly worse.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE insurance plans cover nerve conduction studies, imaging and peripheral nerve surgery when medically needed. Nerve studies, MRI and the operation each usually need pre-approval, and hand therapy sessions are often approved separately with their own limit. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
What are the risks of peripheral nerve surgery?
The risks of peripheral nerve surgery include infection, bleeding, a tender scar, and numbness or weakness that stays partly or fully despite a successful operation. Rarely, symptoms return or a nearby small nerve is irritated. Nerves that have been compressed or injured for a long time may recover only partly, and your surgeon explains how these risks apply to your nerve before you decide.
How do I know if I have a trapped ulnar nerve?
A trapped ulnar nerve typically causes tingling and numbness in the ring and little fingers, often worse with the elbow bent, at night or while holding a phone. Later signs include a weaker grip and thinning of the muscles between the thumb and index finger. A nerve conduction study confirms the diagnosis.
Can a trapped nerve at the elbow get better without surgery?
Mild ulnar nerve compression often improves once the pressure is removed, by keeping the elbow straighter at night with a splint and avoiding leaning on it. Surgery is usually considered when symptoms persist, when weakness or muscle wasting appears, or when tests show the nerve is losing function.
How long does it take for a nerve to recover after surgery?
Nerve recovery after surgery takes months and sometimes longer, because nerve fibres regrow slowly from the operation site towards the hand or foot. Recovery depends on how long and how badly the nerve was affected, the distance it must regrow and your age, so your surgeon gives a timeline for your case rather than an average.
What should I do if I cut my hand and a finger feels numb?
Numbness beyond a cut suggests a nerve may be injured, so the wound should be assessed promptly at an emergency department rather than simply stitched closed. An early repair of a cut nerve gives the best chance of recovery, and a nerve that has been repaired late or missed is harder to treat.
Is a lump on a nerve cancer?
Most lumps on a peripheral nerve are benign growths such as schwannomas or neurofibromas. An ultrasound or MRI helps show what the lump is, and many can be removed while protecting the nerve. A lump that grows quickly or becomes painful should be assessed without delay.
What causes foot drop from the knee?
Foot drop from the knee usually comes from pressure on the peroneal nerve, which wraps close to the skin on the outside of the knee. Habitual leg crossing, long squatting or kneeling, a tight cast and rapid weight loss are common causes. Many cases improve once the pressure is removed, and surgery is considered when they do not.
Do I need a nerve conduction study before surgery?
A nerve conduction study is usually done before peripheral nerve surgery, because it confirms which nerve is affected, where it is trapped and how badly. The results guide the decision about surgery and give a baseline for comparison later.
Departments
Book an appointment
Tell us your preferred day and time. Our team calls you back to confirm.