[Is the "classical" release of the flexor retinaculum in carpal tunnel syndrome obsolete?]

Carpal tunnel release used to be the standard treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. However, some authors now prefer reconstruction of the transverse carpal ligament, due to suspected palmar dislocation of the median nerve in wrist flexion after simple ligament release. In this retrospective study the topographic location of the median nerve after release is investigated and an attempt made to find a correlation with the postoperative clinical outcome. In computed tomography no palmar subluxation of the nerve was found, even in a patient with a poor clinical result.