Patient satisfaction and return to work after endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery

One hundred twenty-eight patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome were evaluated before surgery and 3 and 6 months after unilateral endoscopic carpal tunnel release. The variables analyzed included patient demographics, symptoms and signs, activities of daily living (ADL), sensibility and strength measurements, preoperative distal motor latency of the median nerve, operating surgeon, postoperative palmar pain and tenderness, return to work, and patient satisfaction with the results of surgery. Multivariate statistical analyses were performed, with patient satisfaction at 6 months after surgery and the time until return to work after surgery as the dependent variables. On stepwise logistic regression analysis of all preoperative variables, significant predictors of patient dissatisfaction at 6 months after surgery were higher age, heavy vibration exposure, worse ADL score, and better distal motor latency. Analysis of all preoperative and 3-month postoperative variables showed heavy vibration exposure, better distal motor latency, and worse 3-month postoperative ADL score to have the strongest independent correlation with patient dissatisfaction at 6 months. No significant independent association was found between any of the preoperative variables studied and the length of time until return to work after surgery.