title: Early recovery after endoscopic vs. short-incision open carpal tunnel release.
abstract: Endoscopic carpal tunnel release has been claimed to offer improvement in recovery time and postoperative discomfort over open carpal tunnel release. Short-incision open carpal tunnel release has been claimed to offer recoveries comparable with endoscopic techniques. Patients receiving carpal tunnel surgery were randomized to short-incision open release or single-portal endoscopic release. Preoperative and postoperative evaluation included grip and pinch strength measurements and patient completion of a questionnaire regarding symptoms and function. Thirty-six operated hands completed evaluation, including 22 endoscopic and 14 open releases. Early grip and pinch strength after endoscopic carpal tunnel release were improved significantly over short-incision open release (p < 0.05). Subjective evaluation indicated a trend toward improved symptoms and function with endoscopic over short-incision open carpal tunnel release. Endoscopic carpal tunnel release provides faster recovery of strength than short-incision open carpal tunnel release and improves early postoperative comfort and function to a small degree.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructve Surgery, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hainer
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wheatley
mesh_terms: D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome