[Personal clinical and neurophysiological experience in the surgically treated carpal tunnel syndrome]

In 18 cases of carpal tunnel syndrome treated by surgical decompression of the median nerve, a neurophysiological control was performed before and after surgery. In all cases improvement or disappearance of the pain was observed; improvement in motor function was less constant. Control of the median nerve conduction showed that in all cases with preoperative distal latency less than 6 msec. there was a normalization of the nerve conduction after only 3 months. In cases of distal latency over 6 msec, and especially in those with complete motor conduction block, the latency remain within patological limits even 15 months after surgery. This may be explained either by a slower conduction of the regenerated fibres or by a persistent myelinic and axonal damage of the nerve.