A Long-Term Follow Up Study of Prognostic Factors after Carpal Tunnel Release.

, Yang, Seung Nam; , Yoon, Joon Shik; , Kim, Sei Joo; , Kim, Gui Sang

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2006;30(6):580-583.

Yang, Seung Nam , Yoon, Joon Shik , Kim, Sei Joo , Kim, Gui Sang

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea. rehab46@medimail.co.kr

수근관 증후군 수술의 예후인자에 대한 장기간 추적관찰

양승남, 윤준식, 김세주, 김귀상

고려대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실

Abstract

Objective
The purpose of this study was to examine the factor influencing the improvement of symptoms and change of electrophysiologic findings of patients after carpal tunnel release.
Method
We examined 16 patients (27 hands) who underwent carpal tunnel release operation after diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome by the electrodiagnostic study from March 2000 to February 2001. Nerve conduction tests and visual analogue scale were performed pre-operateively and 1 month and 3 years post-operatively. We also performed a correlation study to measure the improvements of symptoms with the patient's age, duration of symptoms, and severity of works.
Results
The improvement of visual analogue scale had no correlation with the age, severity of work and visual analogue scale at pre-operation. However, there was significant relationship between the improvement of visual analogue scale and duration of symptom.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that the benifits of the carpal tunnel release operation were influenced by the patient's duration of the symptoms. The longer the symptoms were experienced, the improvements of the symptoms were reduced. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2006; 30: 580-583)

Key Words: Visual analogue scale, Carpal tunnel release, Duration of symptom