[Endoscopic carpal tunnel release: a comparative study to the conventional open technique]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Hand Surgery

Background:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition affecting the median nerve at the wrist.
• Traditional open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) has been the standard surgical treatment.
• Endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) emerged as a minimally invasive alternative with theoretical benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the immediate postoperative outcomes of endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) versus conventional open carpal tunnel release (OCTR).
• To evaluate the efficacy and recovery associated with both surgical techniques for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving two groups of 15 patients each.
• One group underwent ECTR, while the other group underwent OCTR.
• Preoperative clinical characteristics were statistically similar between the two groups.

Main Results:

• Both ECTR and OCTR achieved complete resolution of preoperative symptoms immediately after surgery in all patients.
• The ECTR group demonstrated a shorter duration of oral analgesic use and a faster return to labor compared to the OCTR group.
• One patient (6.6%) in the ECTR group experienced symptom recurrence one month post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• Endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) is an effective surgical option for carpal tunnel syndrome.
• ECTR provides a significant advantage in shortening the postoperative recovery period.
• ECTR offers comparable symptom relief to OCTR with improved patient recovery metrics.