[Should carpal tunnel syndrome be operated in the patient older than 75 years?]

Retrospective study on a continuous series of 37 carpal tunnel syndromes by patients older than 75 years. Particular features of this age-group related to median nerve compression syndrome are given. Paresthesia and loss of cutaneous sensitivity were improved by surgical release of the LAAC respectively in 76% and 61% of cases; on the contrary, grip strength was found to be unaffected in the great majority of cases. Three patients were not improved at all: they all complained first of pain, EMG showed signs of denervation in every case and their mean age was higher than that of the entire group. Caution is mandatory with patients presenting with such a triad. In conclusion, even loss of tactile sense could be alleviated by surgical decompression in the very old patient.