title: Study to Assess Outcome After Open and Closed Carpal Tunnel Decompression.
abstract: Carpal tunnel decompression (CTD) is the most commonly performed surgical procedure within a hand unit. We have analyzed data on outcomes after carpal decompression performed by both open and closed techniques to assess whether outcomes differed between the 2 procedures. Data were jointly gathered from 2 units. The aim was to assess the outcome after CTD. Completed data were gathered from 621 CTD procedures performed on 484 patients. Of the procedures, 358 were performed via a standard open CTD technique and 263 procedures were performed via a closed single-port Agee technique. Assessments were performed by means of the Levine-Katz questionnaire, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing, grip strength, and pinch-grip strength testing. Assessments were performed both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. A randomly selected 10% of patients were also assessed at 12 months. The results were statistically better after closed CTD at the 6-month postoperative stage. However, the difference became less marked by 12-month postoperative stage. Our results show that CTD whether performed by an open or closed technique resulted in a similar outcome at the 12-month postoperative stage. However, those procedures performed by a closed technique offered a more rapid recovery in the first 6 months postoperative than by an open technique.
authors.affiliation: From the *Pulvertaft Hand Centre, Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, Derby, England; and †Curtis National Hand Center, MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Sohail
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.forename: Mary J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Frank D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Norman H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Dubin
authors.forename: E F Shaw
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Wilgis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D059026:Diagnostic Self Evaluation; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011897:Random Allocation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome