Peripheral entrapment neuropathies including CTS (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)
Adult

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Emergency Referrals

Useful Management Information

CTS can be referred to the following specialities but will be triaged in a unified manner by all specialities concerned:
- Orthopaedics
- Plastic and Reconstructive surgery
- Neurosurgery
- General Surgery
- Neurology
Chronic disease requires to be optimized prior to referral or the patients may not proceed to surgery

Minimum Referral Criteria

Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?

Category 1 (appointment within 30 calendar days)	Severe disabling symptoms with weakness and wasting and NCS confirmation of diagnosis
Category 2 (appointment within 90 calendar days)	Very frequent/continuous symptoms without weakness or wasting and any one of: rapid progression recurrence after surgical decompression failed maximum medical management
Category 3 (appointment within 365 calendar days)	Intermittent symptoms without weakness or wasting after 6 months maximum medical management Ulnar entrapment neuropathy without weakness or wasting when no response to ≥ 6 months of maximal management
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria Assessment and management information may be found on a range of conditions at HealthPathways If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes the patient requires specialist review, a clinical override may be requested: Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.) Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service

Standard Referral Information

Reason for request

To establish a diagnosis
For treatment or intervention
For advice and management
For specialist to take over management
Reassurance for GP/second opinion
For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
Reassurance for the patient/family
For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

Relevant clinical information about the condition

Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
Physical findings
Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
All conservative options that have been pursued unsuccessfully prior to referral
Body mass index (BMI)
Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
Any special care requirements where relevant (e.g tracheostomy in place, oxygen required)
Current medications and dosages
Drug allergies
Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

Patient's Demographic Details

Full name (including aliases)
Date and country of birth
Residential and postal address including whether patient resides at an aged care facility
Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
Medicare number (where eligible)
Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
Name of delegate and contact details (Department of Corrective Services)
Preferred language and interpreter requirements
Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Any special needs, access requirements and/or disability relevant to the referral

Referring Practitioner Details

Full name
Full address
Contact details – telephone, fax, email
Provider number
Date of referral
Signature
Nominated general practitioner’s details (if known), if the nominated general practitioner is different from the referring practitioner

Other relevant information

Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)

Essential Referral Information

Detailed clinical examination with sensory mapping, presence of neurological deficit and functional assessment (include impacts on ADL and employment)
Management to date (include allied health input and steroid injections)
NCS required for Cat 1 cases only (where available and does not cause significant delay to patient accessing outpatient service)

Additional Referral Information

XR results - AP and lateral (of region) (if available)
Nerve conduction studies (NCS) (where available and does not cause significant delay to patient accessing outpatient service)
OT/Physio report when available

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Preferred Method
About Smart Referrals

Secure Web Transfer

Send to: Gold Coast Health Service District

Internal Referrals

(E-Blueslips)

Fax

(07) 5687 4497

Post

Enquiries

1300 559 083

Related HealthPathways

No directly related pathways found

HealthPathways home page

Service Availability

Dr Raja Sawhney

Medical Director Plastics and Reconstructive Surgery

Facilities

Gold Coast University Hospital

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.

Peripheral entrapment neuropathies including CTS (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery)Adult