The post-carpal tunnel syndrome. Causes and prevention

Abstract

Even after opening the carpal tunnel for median nerve compression 25 percent of patients have persistent symptoms, the so-called post-carpal tunnel syndrome. Analysis of 135 median nerve decompressions carried out for primary carpal tunnel syndrome showed flexor tenosynovitis in the flexor sheaths of the fingers and operation scarring to be the main causes. A different local pathology in the hand can also be responsible for the symptoms, and it is important to diagnose such conditions before median nerve decompression so that correction can be performed simultaneously. This is demonstrated in a series of 31 patients.