Specialist treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome by consultant hand surgeon Mr Ali Philips. Using advanced ultrasound-guided techniques for precise, effective results.

ULTRASOUND GUIDED

ABOUT THE CLINIC

Aurea Medical

Located in the heart of Marylebone at prestigious Cavendish Square, our state-of-the-art facility provides the ideal setting for your hand surgery.

✓ Expert Surgeon

Mr Ali Philips specialises in hand surgery

YOUR CONSULTANT SURGEON

Mr Ali Philips

Mr Ali Philips is a consultant plastic and hand surgeon with extensive experience in treating hand conditions.

Specialising in ultrasound-guided hand surgery, Mr Philips combines traditional surgical excellence with cutting-edge imaging technology. This approach ensures precise treatment with minimal tissue disruption, leading to faster recovery times and better outcomes.

With over 15 years of experience and thousands of successful procedures, Mr Philips is dedicated to helping patients regain full hand function and return to their daily activities pain-free.

✓ Ultrasound Guided

Advanced imaging for precise treatment

✓ Rapid Recovery

Minimally invasive techniques for faster healing

✓ Premium Location

33 Cavendish Square, London

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Effective treatment for fine lines and deep wrinkles

Reduce fine lines and deep wrinkles

Our aim is to provide you with the best outcome possible within your budget. In our initial consultation we help you make the right choice of treatment plan, and then blend artistry with medical experience to provide a high quality aesthetic medicine outcome. See us at 33 Cavendish Square.

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Aurea Medical is a Led by a Plastic Surgeon

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Premises regulated and inspected by the Care Quality Commission

✓ Expert Team

GMC-registered doctors and aesthetic specialists

✓ Premium Location

33 Cavendish Square, London

MBBS, FRCS (Plast)

Our clinic features the latest equipment and facilities, ensuring you receive the highest standard of care. The central London location is easily accessible by public transport, with Regent’s Park and Oxford Circus stations nearby.
We pride ourselves on providing a comfortable, professional environment where patients feel at ease throughout their treatment journey.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Think of your wrist as having a narrow passageway, a bit like a tunnel. Through this ‘carpal tunnel’ runs a really important nerve called the median nerve, along with the tendons that bend your fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) happens when the space inside this tunnel becomes tight, putting pressure on the nerve. It’s like a traffic jam in that tunnel – the nerve gets squeezed and it can’t work properly.

 
This pressure is what causes the classic symptoms:

•  Tingling and numbness, especially in the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger. 
• Pain that can feel like an ache or a sharp, shooting sensation, sometimes travelling up your arm. 
• Symptoms that are worse at night and often wake you from sleep. Many people feel the need to shake their hands to get relief. 
• Weakness in your hand, making it difficult to grip things securely. You might find yourself dropping things more often. 
  

What causes the pressure in the carpal tunnel?

Often, we can’t pinpoint one single cause. It’s usually a combination of factors. Some people may have a naturally smaller carpal tunnel. Other common contributors include hormonal changes (like in pregnancy), medical conditions such as diabetes or thyroid problems and occasionally, repetitive hand and wrist movements.

How Do I Know If I Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Getting the right diagnosis is the first and most important step.
When you see a specialist like me, the first thing I’ll do is listen. I want to hear your story, in your own words. How your symptoms affect your daily life tells me a great deal. I’ll then perform a careful physical examination of your hands and wrists.
In most cases, the diagnosis is clear from this conversation and examination. Sometimes, to confirm how much the nerve is being squeezed, we might arrange a nerve conduction study but this is rare. This test measures how quickly electrical signals travel through your nerve. An ultrasound scan can also be very helpful, as it allows us to see the nerve directly and assess the degree of compression. I can do this in the clinic with my own ultrasound making it extra convenient for you.

What Are My Treatment Options?

The goal of any treatment is to reduce the pressure on your median nerve. We always start with the simplest options first.

• Wrist Splints: Wearing a splint at night keeps your wrist in a neutral position, which opens up the carpal tunnel and relieves pressure on the nerve while you sleep.
  
• Activity Modification: We’ll discuss any activities that might be making your symptoms worse and find ways to do them differently. 
• Steroid Injections: An injection of corticosteroid into the carpal tunnel can reduce swelling and provide temporary relief.
  When these treatments aren't providing enough relief or if your symptoms are severe, it might be time to consider surgery.
  
  When these treatments aren't providing enough relief or if your symptoms are severe, it might be time to consider surgery.
  

Let me tell you about Sarah, a 48-year-old teacher who came to see us. The numbness in her hands was so bad it was waking her up five or six times a night and she was struggling to hold a pen to mark her students’ work. She was worried about taking a long time off school for recovery. We decided that ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release was a great option for her. The procedure took about 15 minutes for each hand, she went home the same day with just a small plaster on her wrist and she was back to normal activities within a week. The relief was almost immediate. At her follow-up appointment 2 weeks later, she told me she was finally sleeping through the night again immediately after the procedure.

A Patient's Story

Taking Control of Your Hand Health

If you're struggling with pain, numbness or weakness in your hands, please know that you don’t have to just put up with it. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a very treatable condition. With modern, evidence-based options like ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release, you can find lasting relief and get back to doing the things you love, faster.
The next step is to get an accurate diagnosis from a specialist like me. If you would like to discuss your symptoms and treatment options, please get in touch with my team to schedule a consultation.

(This is a representative story; details have been changed to protect patient privacy).

ULTRASOUND GUIDED

Specialist treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome by consultant hand surgeon Mr Ali Philips. Using advanced ultrasound-guided techniques for precise, effective results.

If you're struggling with a clicking, painful, or locked finger, please know that you don’t have to just put up with it. Trigger finger is a very treatable condition. With modern, evidence-based options like ultrasound-guided release, you can find a permanent solution and get back to the things you love, faster.
The next step is to get an accurate diagnosis from a specialist like me. If you would like to discuss your symptoms and treatment options, please get in touch with my team to schedule a consultation.

(This is a representative story; details have been changed to protect patient privacy).

Taking Control of Your Hand Health

Let me tell you about Sarah, a 48-year-old teacher who came to see me. The numbness in her hands was so bad it was waking her up five or six times a night and she was struggling to hold a pen to mark her students’ work. She was worried about taking a long time off school for recovery. We decided that ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release was a great option for her. The procedure took about 15 minutes for each hand, she went home the same day with just a small plaster on her wrist and she was back to normal activities within a week. The relief was almost immediate. At her follow-up appointment 2 weeks later, she told me she was finally sleeping through the night again immediately after the procedure.

A Patient's Story

MBBS, FRCS (Plast)

Mr Ali Philips is a consultant plastic and hand surgeon with extensive experience in treating hand conditions.

Specialising in ultrasound-guided hand surgery, Mr Philips combines traditional surgical excellence with cutting-edge imaging technology. This approach ensures precise treatment with minimal tissue disruption, leading to faster recovery times and better outcomes.

With over 15 years of experience and thousands of successful procedures, Mr Philips is dedicated to helping patients regain full hand function and return to their daily activities pain-free.

Located in the heart of Marylebone at prestigious Cavendish Square, our state-of-the-art facility provides the ideal setting for your hand surgery.

Our clinic features the latest equipment and facilities, ensuring you receive the highest standard of care. The central London location is easily accessible by public transport, with Regent’s Park and Oxford Circus stations nearby.
We pride ourselves on providing a comfortable, professional environment where patients feel at ease throughout their treatment journey.

Located in the heart of Marylebone at prestigious Cavendish Square, our state-of-the-art facility provides the ideal setting for your hand surgery.

When Should I Have Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

These are the three reasons why you should have or at least contemplate surgery:

1. You've tried everything else: If you've given splints etc. a really good go then it may be time to talk to me about an operation. 
2. Permanent symptoms throughout the day: If you have numbness or tingling all day every day, or at least the vast majority of it, then that indicates that the nerve is extremely unhappy! The results of surgery are less predictable when this is the case and therefore I tend to err on the side of having a surgical procedure rather than steroid injection or continuing with other non-operative treatments 
3. ANY weakness! If you feel that your thumb lacks coordination or any form of strength then that is a red flag for me and we should probably get on with the surgery sooner rather than later. The longer you leave weakness the less chance there is that your strength comes back fully.
   
   

What’s the Best Surgery for Carpal Tunnel?

For many of my patients, the thought of surgery can be daunting. You might worry about the pain, the scar and the recovery time. That’s why I’m excited to offer a modern, minimally invasive procedure called ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release (USG-CTR). To my knowledge, I am the only surgeon in London currently performing this technique.

How is it different from traditional surgery?

Traditional open carpal tunnel surgery involves an incision in your palm about 5-6 cm long to see and cut the tight ligament (the transverse carpal ligament) that forms the roof of the tunnel. While it’s a very effective procedure, the skin and tissues of the palm are cut simply to get to the ligament.

 
With ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release, we only need to make a tiny incision—just a few millimetres long—in the wrist, away from your precious palm. Using a real-time ultrasound scanner to see inside your wrist, I can guide a special, tiny instrument to precisely divide that tight ligament from the inside, without disturbing the surrounding tissues.
The difference is significant. We are only cutting the structure that is causing the problem.