[Agee endoscopic decompression of the median nerve: prospective study with comparison to open decompression]

Abstract

This prospective randomized study consists of 45 patients, i.e., 33 women and 12 men with an average age of 52.7 years. The following parameters were evaluated: rate of complications, recovery of pinch and strength of grip, radiological widening of the transverse carpal arch, postoperative morbidity, particularly the time of return to work, and to activities of daily living. Compared with open decompression, the group of endoscopic decompression needs significantly less time to get back to work (one third; p = 0.003). This seems to be related to a significantly faster restoration of strength of grip (p = 0.f12) after endoscopic decompression of the median nerve. Pinch grip improves faster in the group of endoscopic decompression as well, however, not significantly, compared with open decompression. No significant difference between the two techniques has been detected in the radiological widening of the transverse carpal arch.