eMedicine Specialties > Radiology > Musculoskeletal

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Follow-up

Author: Patrick D Browning, MA, MD, Partner, Redwood Regional Medical Group; Clinical Staff, University of California at Davis Medical Center; Founder and Principle Partner, Conceptus Partners Consulting
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Apr 16, 2009

Intervention

In a single-center, randomized, controlled trial of 128 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome randomized to open surgery or 2-portal endoscopic surgery, the 2 techniques were found to be equally successful. At the 5-year follow-up, 11 patients who received open surgery and 10 patients who underwent endoscopic surgery reported persistent pain, and 3 patients in each treatment group had repeat surgery because of persistent or recurring symptoms.7

In a meta-analysis of surgical treatment versus nonsurgical treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, Verdugo et al concluded, based on their findings, that surgery resulted in significantly better relief of symptoms than splinting. The investigators found that a significant percentage of those persons treated medically subsequently required surgery, whereas the risk of reoperation was low in those patients initially treated surgically.8  

See also Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the eMedicine Orthopedic Surgery section.

 


More on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Overview: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Imaging: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Follow-up: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Multimedia: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
References
Further Reading
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References

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  7. [Best Evidence] Atroshi I, Hofer M, Larsson GU, Ornstein E, Johnsson R, Ranstam J. Open compared with 2-portal endoscopic carpal tunnel release: a 5-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. J Hand Surg [Am]. Feb 2009;34(2):266-72. [Medline].

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Keywords

carpal tunnel syndrome, median nerve injury, wrist injury, repetitive stress syndrome, carpus, carpal bone, flexor retinaculum, traverse carpal ligament, scaphoid tubercle, trapezium, flexor digitorum, flexor tendons, flexor pollicis longus, flexor tenosynovitis

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Patrick D Browning, MA, MD, Partner, Redwood Regional Medical Group; Clinical Staff, University of California at Davis Medical Center; Founder and Principle Partner, Conceptus Partners Consulting
Patrick D Browning, MA, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Michael A Bruno, MD, Associate Professor, Departments of Radiology and Medicine, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Director, Radiology Quality Management Services, Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
Michael A Bruno, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, Association of University Radiologists, Radiological Society of North America, Society of Nuclear Medicine, and Society of Skeletal Radiology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Bernard D Coombs, MB, ChB, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

William R Reinus, MD, MBA, FACR, Professor of Radiology, Temple University; Chief of Musculoskeletal and Trauma Radiology, Vice Chair, Department of Radiology, Temple University Hospital
William R Reinus, MD, MBA, FACR is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, Radiological Society of North America, and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Robert M Krasny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, Resolution Imaging Medical Corporation
Robert M Krasny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Felix S Chew, MD, MBA, EdM, Professor, Department of Radiology, Vice Chairman for Radiology Informatics, Section Head of Musculoskeletal Radiology, University of Washington
Felix S Chew, MD, MBA, EdM is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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