Carpal Tunnel Release in the Bilateral Carpal tunnel syndrome - Comparison of endoscopic release and open release in bilateral carpal tunnel syndrom

Journal of the Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand 2003;8(2):56-59.
Published online June 1, 2003.

JD Yoo, YH Yun, JM Jung, JH Kim, YD Ko, WC Jung

양측성 수근관 증후군 환자에서의 수근관 유리술 - 내시경적 방법과 개방적 방법의 비교 -

유재두, 윤여헌, 정준모, 김종오, 고영도, 정우철

Abstract

Purpose
Although the endoscopic carpal tunnel release have more technical difficulty than the open release, endoscopic release have the advantages such as early return to work, more rapid recovery of grasping power and small skin incision. The purpose of this study was to compare the results of open release with endoscopic release in the bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Materials and Methods: This study was performed in 31 patients with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. Endoscopic release was performed with Carpal tunnel release kit LinvatecⓇ) using proximal single portal. Follow-up subjective and objective evaluation with use of VAS about tingling sensation, nocturnal pain, sensory recovery, scar tenderness, thenar and hypothear pain, satisfaction and quantitative measurement of grip strength, pinch strength, two point discrimination test at 3 weeks, 3months, 6 months and12 months. And the preferred method and the reason of the preference were recorded. Results: There was no significant difference of improvement in tingling sensation, night pain, sensory recovery, scar tenderness, thenar and hypothenar pain, satisfaction and quantitative measurement of grip strength, pinch strength, two point discrimination test. But 74% of the patients preferred the endoscopic release and the reason was the small size of scar (87%), early return to house work (13%) (P< 0.05). Complications were one neuroma of the palmar cutaneous branch of median nerve after endoscopic release and 5 cases of thenar and hypothenar pain, which was relieved at the last visit except 2 cases. Conclusion: There was no significant difference of subjective and objective outcomes between the endoscopic release and open release except the patients’preference of treatment. More patients mainly preferred the endoscopic release because of relatively small size of scar.