Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
Metacarpal Small Incision for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Published on: April 5, 2024
Patient-reported outcomes after acute carpal tunnel release in patients with distal radius open reduction internal
Aakash Chauhan1, Timothy C Bowlin, Alexander D Mih
1The Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center, 8501 Harcourt Road, Indianapolis, IN 46260 USA ; Department of Orthopaedics, Allegheny General Hospital, 1307 Federal St, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 USA.
Background:
Acute carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a complication that can develop after distal radius fractures. Our hypothesis tested whether patient-reported outcomes after acute carpal tunnel release (CTR) performed in combination with distal radius fracture open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) are worse than patient-reported outcomes with only elective CTR as measured by the symptom severity and functional status scales of the Boston carpal tunnel questionnaire (BCTQ).
Methods:
A retrospective assessment identified 26 patients treated with acute CTR at the same time as distal radius ORIF, no history of pre-existing CTS or CTR, no other injuries, and >12 months follow-up. Sixteen of these patients (Group A) could be contacted and answered the BCTQ. Group A was age- and sex-matched to control patients (Group B) treated with only elective CTR. A case-control study was performed comparing outcomes of both groups.
Results:
The average age of patients was 51 ± 15 years, with an average follow-up of Group A at 49 ± 21 months versus Group B at 55 ± 20 months. The mean symptom severity scale score for Group A was 1.4 ± 0.4 and for Group B was 1.4 ± 0.4. The mean functional status scale score for Group A was 1.4 ± 0.5 and for Group B was 1.3 ± 0.4. The mean total BCTQ score for Group A was 26.5 ± 7.5 and for Group B was 24.9 ± 7.5. There were no statistical or clinically significant differences between Group A and Group B for symptom severity, functional status, and total BCTQ scores.
Conclusions:
Patients with acute CTR performed at the same time with distal radius ORIF do as well in the long-term as those patients with only elective CTR as measured by the BCTQ. Patients should expect similar recovery of subjective nerve function from acute median nerve dysfunction when CTR is performed with distal radius ORIF as patients with only elective CTR.
