title: Comparison of carpal tunnel release with three different techniques.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common compression neuropathies in the upper limbs and requires surgery if conservative treatment fails. This article compares the result of regular open incision, mid-palmar mini incision and endoscopic technique in carpal tunnel release.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a clinical trial study on 105 patients (10 males, 95 females) within one year, who were surgical candidates. The surgery was done with regular open incision or with mid-palmar small incision. The clinical outcomes were evaluated one week, 4 weeks and 4 months post-surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relief and satisfaction were better in the first month in the endoscopic and mid-palmar mini incision group. All 3 techniques had similar outcomes after 4 months. In the 4-month follow-up, night pain relief, followed by parasthesia relief had the best improvement. Weakness was the symptom with the least improvement. Longer incision cases were associated with more delay to return to work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carpal tunnel release with endoscopic and mini incision techniques have better early satisfaction rates compared to regular open incision, but no difference is seen between the two groups after four months.
authors.affiliation: Akhtar Orthopaedic Hospital, Shahid Beheshti Medical University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Aslani
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eajazi
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.forename: Zohreh
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zaferani
authors.forename: Seyed Mehdi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hosseini Khameneh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D062707:Return to Work; D016896:Treatment Outcome