Relationship of workers' compensation status and duration of preoperative carpal tunnel symptoms

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common work-related injuries and a leading cause of work disability. We studied patients from a single community who had carpal tunnel releases (CTRs), comparing duration of preoperative symptoms and severity of nerve dysfunction among workers compensation and nonworkers compensation recipients. Included in the study were 131 patients who had a total of 187 primary CTRs done by a single surgeon. Duration of preoperative symptoms was significantly longer for nonworkers compensation patients than for workers compensation patients (p < 0.01). A smaller proportion of workers compensation patients had severe electromyography (EMG) findings (p = 0.04), and a larger portion had borderline EMG findings. People with work-related CTS appear to receive surgical treatment for CTS earlier than people whose CTS is not related to work covered under workers compensation laws.