When Darrin Kean first started experiencing occasional numbness in his hands, he decided to ride it out, knowing that traditional surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) could sideline someone with a physically demanding job like his for weeks or months. Eventually, Kean’s symptoms progressed to pain so bad that he couldn’t sleep at night.

Seeking relief, he turned to Christopher Jobe, M.D., R.M.S.K., an orthopedic surgeon certified in the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound. Using ultrasound, Dr. Jobe can quickly and painlessly diagnose CTS and perform carpal tunnel release surgery that is more precise and less-invasive than traditional surgery, allowing patients to recover in a fraction of the time.

Christopher Jobe, M.D., R.M.S.K.

A former chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Loma Linda University and past president of the American Shoulder and Elbow Society, Dr. Jobe has been using ultrasound in his practice for about 14 years.

Based in Loma Linda with Accelerate Orthopedics, he is one of 12 surgeons in California certified to perform ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release (CTR) using Sonex Health’s UltraGuide CTR state-of-the-art technology.

Dr. Jobe is also one of very few surgeons to hold a Registered in Musculoskeletal Sonography (RMSK) certificate, which reflects his expertise in using ultrasound to diagnose a variety of joint problems, including rotator cuff and biceps disease and frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). He has also co-authored a textbook for physicians on the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Kean had the ultrasound-guided surgery on a Thursday and returned to work the following Monday.

“My experience with Dr. Jobe was absolutely amazing,” he said. “Not only was I able to sleep through the night, but I was able to get back to work with minimal down time.”

CTS occurs when one of the major nerves to the hand — the median nerve — is compressed, causing numbness, pain and weakness in the hand and wrist. It’s a common condition that affects up to 10 million people in the United States, according to the American Medical Association. Most people with carpal tunnel syndrome start experiencing symptoms between age 40 and 50.

Obtaining a diagnosis of CTS can be an ordeal for most people experiencing symptoms because traditional diagnostic methods — painful electrodiagnostic testing and a nerve-conduction study — typically involve lengthy delays and two additional office visits.

It doesn’t have to be that way, Dr. Jobe said. Using ultrasound, he can diagnose CTS in about 15 minutes during a single office visit.

“The benefits are night and day in terms of the patient experience,” he said. “Ultrasound is painless and allows us to immediately visualize what’s happening, so we can develop a plan to get the patient back to where they want to be as quickly as possible.”

That’s what happened with Virginia Rohde. She sought out Dr. Jobe after developing pain in her wrists and after her hands began to occasionally freeze up while she was sewing or writing.

“I didn’t know what it was, but my daughter recommended Dr. Jobe, so I made an appointment,” Rohde said. “He did an ultrasound right there in his office and diagnosed me with CTS.”

The ultrasound-guided surgery took place soon after and Rohde said she has been pain-free ever since.

“My recovery was wonderful — no pain at all — and I was back to sewing and crocheting right away,” Rohde said. “I have some girlfriends who had the traditional surgery (with other doctors) and they all experienced a lot of problems. I had zero. I call Dr. Jobe ‘the miracle man’ because my experience was that wonderful.”

Traditional carpal tunnel release surgery involves fully exposing the transverse carpal ligament in the wrist, cutting it to widen the opening so the nerve has room to expand, then closing the wound.

In this image. you can see the swollen median nerve on the right, just before it enters the canal. In the left half of the image. you can see the nerve is pinched in the canal.

With musculoskeletal ultrasound, surgeons can make a tiny incision and use ultrasound imaging to guide their instruments, ensuring the accurate release of the transverse carpal ligament, while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues. Not only are recovery times faster, patients also experience reduced scarring.

Dr. Jobe performs the outpatient procedure at Loma Linda Surgical Institute in Loma Linda, but treats patients from all over California, and sometimes other states. He also provides second opinions and performs ultrasound examinations of other joints, as well as ultrasound-guided injections to address pain and other symptoms. His office accepts most insurance.

Accelerate Orthopedics is at 25915 Barton Road, Suite 203, Loma Linda. For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jobe, call (909) 315-6515.

The news and editorial staffs of Southern California News Group had no role in this post’s preparation.