title: Carpal and cubital tunnel and other, rarer nerve compression syndromes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carpal tunnel syndrome is by far the most common peripheral nerve compression syndrome, affecting approximately one in every six adults to a greater or lesser extent. Splitting the flexor retinaculum to treat carpal tunnel syndrome is the second most common specialized surgical procedure in Germany. Cubital tunnel syndrome is rarer by a factor of 13, and the other compression syndromes are rarer still.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review is based on publications retrieved by a selective literature search of PubMed and the Cochrane Library, along with current guidelines and the authors' clinical and scientific experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Randomized controlled trials have shown, with a high level of evidence, that the surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome yields very good results regardless of the particular technique used, as long as the diagnosis and the indication for surgery are well established by the electrophysiologic and radiological findings and the operation is properly performed. The success rates of open surgery, and the single-portal and dual-portal endoscopic methods are 91.6%, 93.4% and 92.5%, respectively. When performed by experienced hands, all these procedures have complication rates below 1%. The surgical treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome has a comparably low complication rate, but worse results overall. Neuro-ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (neuro-MRI) are increasingly being used to complement the diagnostic findings of electrophysiologic studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence-based diagnostic methods and treatment recommendations are now available for the two most common peripheral nerve compression syndromes. Further controlled trials are needed for most of the rarer syndromes, especially the controversial ones.
authors.affiliation: (Former Practice of Peripheral Nerve Surgery in Dossenheim/Heidelberg:), District Hospital of Günzburg (Neurosurgical Department of the University of Ulm), Neurology Group Practice Marienplatz, Munich.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Assmus
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antoniadis
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bischoff
mesh_terms: D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013165:Splints; D058971:Tenotomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*