title: An evidence-based review of a single surgeon's experience with endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
abstract: Although introduced more than 20 years ago, endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) continues to generate debate and controversy among surgeons. This  review examines a single surgeon's technique for ECTR over the past 13 years to better understand the effects of a surgeon's experience on outcomes. A retrospective review was performed on a case series of 129 patients ages 25 to 89 years old who underwent an ECTR at Duke University. Ninety-six percent of patients reported improvement in nerve symptoms. There were no nerve complications in the series. The billed cost of ECTR at Duke University was 9% less than standard open release and the average return to work by report by patients was 3 weeks. Previous recommendations against ECTR have focused on increased complication rates and cost, with no reported differences in long-term clinical outcomes. The results demonstrate increased success and lower complication rates for this series of patients. This may indicate a significant correlation between a surgeon's expertise and outcomes for ECTR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA. sabes001@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vani J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Sabesan
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pedrotty
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Urbaniak
authors.forename: J Mack
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aldridge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies