title: Long-term follow-up of dual-portal endoscopic release of the transverse ligament in carpal tunnel syndrome: an analysis of 94 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The long-term efficacy of dual-portal endoscopic release of the transverse ligament in carpal tunnel syndrome is still being debated. In this study, the authors present 94 endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery cases with long-term follow-up data.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study includes 72 patients aged 17 to 86 years (mean age, 53.4 years); bilateral surgery was performed in 22 of these patients. Seventy-two hands of female patients and 22 hands of male patients were included. All procedures were performed with a dual-portal set according to the Chow technique. All patients were examined 2 to 3 months after surgery. The long-term follow-up evaluation was based on telephone interviews 5 to 12 years (mean, 8.2 years) after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From a cohort of 214 cases that were treated surgically between 1995 and 2002, 94 cases (44%) could be evaluated for long-term follow-up. Four of these patients had to be excluded from long-term follow-up because of a switch to an open technique and early open revision (3-6 months after the first surgery), owing to persistent symptoms. A good to optimal postoperative outcome with improvement of neurological signs and subjective patient satisfaction was observed in 84 (93.3%) of the remaining 90 cases. There were no recurrences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that dual-portal endoscopic release of the transverse ligament in carpal tunnel syndrome is a valuable technique that produces very good long-term results and high patient satisfaction and does not result in a significant recurrence rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Nordstadt Hospital, Affiliated Hospital Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Doerthe
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keiner
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gaab
authors.forename: Henry W S
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oertel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D017885:Collateral Ligaments / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome