Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2015 Mar;40(3):438-44.e1.
doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.12.012.

The benefit of carpal tunnel release in patients with electrophysiologically moderate and severe disease

Steven C Kronlage  1 , Mariano E Menendez  2
Affiliations
Comparative Study

The benefit of carpal tunnel release in patients with electrophysiologically moderate and severe disease

Steven C Kronlage et al. J Hand Surg Am. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

Purpose: To compare change in numbness and pain after carpal tunnel release in patients with electrophysiologically moderate and severe disease.

Methods: We tested the primary null hypothesis that there is no difference in the total Carpal Tunnel Symptoms Scale score 3 months after surgery between patients with moderate and those with severe disease. Ninety-five patients (47 in the moderate cohort, and 48 in the severe cohort) who had miniopen carpal tunnel release between November 2011 and November 2013 were identified from our prospectively collected database. For each patient, the total Carpal Tunnel Symptoms Scale score, as well the numbness and pain subscale scores, at the preoperative and postoperative (2-wk, 1-mo, 2-mo, 3-mo, ≥ 1-y) visits were documented. The data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance.

Results: Three months after surgery, patients with moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) reported, on average, no symptoms, and patients with severe disease had reduced but unresolved symptoms. Although symptoms diminished in both groups from the preoperative assessment to the 2-week postoperative assessment, patients with severe CTS had comparatively more severe symptoms at all time points with the exception of pain at 2 weeks and 1 year or longer after surgery, at which times there was no significant difference. At 1 year or longer after surgery, 1 (2%) patient with moderate CTS and 9 (19%) patients with severe CTS reported continued symptoms. Preoperative electrodiagnostic severity was the factor most predictive of symptom scores.

Conclusions: Patients with severe CTS experience considerable reduction in symptoms after surgery but should be informed that recovery may be more prolonged and, in some cases, incomplete 1 year after carpal tunnel release, particularly with regard to numbness.

Type of study/level of evidence: Prognostic III.

Keywords: Carpal tunnel; benefit; electrodiagnostic; moderate; release; severe.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types