Definitive Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery

Anyone considering undergoing definitive carpal tunnel release surgery would be well advised to read the article: Touch Allodynia Following Endoscopic or Open Decompression for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Povlsen, Tegnell, Revell and Adolfsson published in The Journal of Hand Surgery, British 1997, volume 22B pp 325-327. They performed a prospective, scientific assessment of the amount of soreness present in direct relation to measured palmar pressure in patients undergoing open or endoscopic carpal tunnel release. This clear and concise study is usually overlooked by physicians when debating the optimal treatment. They showed significantly less sensitivity/ soreness in the patients treated endoscopically versus the open "filet of wrist" group of patients both early and late. At three months the endoscopic group was back to control level while the open release group was still significantly abnormal.