Relationship between clinical and electrophysiological results in surgically treated carpal tunnel syndrome.

OBJECTIVES In this study, relationship between clinical and electrophysiological results of decompression via mini incision technique was investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-nine hands of 38 patients (35 females, 3 males; mean age 54.8 years; range 33 to 81 years) with carpal tunnel syndrome who were treated surgically in our clinic between April 2004 and February 2009 were included into the study. Patients were evaluated clinically and electrophysiologically both in pre- and postoperative period. RESULTS There was a difference between pre- and postoperative clinical results (p=0.00). Clinically, the mean symptom severity and functional status scores were decreased in 36 hands (92.3%). Postoperative electrophysiological grades were significantly improved compared to the preoperative ones. There was a significant difference between the pre- and postoperative clinical scores in all of the preoperative electromyography grades, except for the moderate grades. However, no relation was found between the electrophysiological grades and the clinical results in both pre- and postoperative period. CONCLUSION This study shows that in spite of clinical improvement after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery through mini incision technique, electrophysiological findings were still suggesting the presence of varying degrees of carpal tunnel syndrome in postoperative period.

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