What is it about?

We tried to find out whether all patients who develop carpal tunnel syndrome eventually require surgery or if some of them might obtain long-term relief without operation

Featured Image

Why is it important?

There are very few long-term studies (5 years or more) of the outcome of non-surgical treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome and more and more patients are being told that they need surgery for this disorder when the existing evidence to support the view that ALL patients need surgery is inadequate

Perspectives

Although it is very hard to follow up a group of middle-aged/elderly patients for 8 years we achieved a reasonably good follow up rate and the figures in this study probably represent the best available assessment of the long-term outcome in conservatively treated CTS.

Dr Jeremy D P Bland
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Prevalence of decompression surgery in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome 8 years after initial treatment with a local corticosteroid injection, Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), March 2017, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1753193416671102.
You can read the full text:

Read

Contributors

The following have contributed to this page