Comparison of two approaches for carpal tunnel release: Extended versus mini-open technique
Mehmet Orçun Akkurt1, Serdar Düzgün2, Ahmet Ateş3, Yüksel Uğur Yaradılmış4
1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Liv Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
3Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Health Sciences, Ankara Keçiören Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
4Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Çankırı State Hospital, Çankırı, Turkey
Keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome, extended release, mini-open release, matched-pair analysis
Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to describe a retrospective study using prospectively gathered data to compare mini-open and extended open release techniques for moderate to severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
Patients and methods: The data of 198 consecutive patients (139 males, 59 females; mean age 57.0±4.5 years; range, 44 to 75 years) treated for CPS were used. For matching, age, gender and severity of the compression, the Greathouse Ernst Halle Schaffer neurophysiological classification system was used. After matching, 63 observations in each group (group 1: mini-open and group 2: extended open) were used for analysis. A Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer was used to measure pre- and postoperative third month grip strengths. The key pinch test was performed also at third month. Patients completed the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire at the last follow-up.
Results: Symptom severity and functional status were improved up to half fold in both groups at final follow-up; however, there was no statistically significant clinical difference between the groups (p>0.05). There were totally six patients with paresthesia symptoms (three in each group; 4.7%), which improved in three months. Eight patients (6.3%, one in group 1 and seven in group 2, p=0.032) had dysesthesia and pillar pain.
Conclusion: Mini-open and extended open carpal tunnel release have similar clinical outcomes without any major complications.
Citation: Akkurt MO, Düzgün S, Ateş A, Yaradılmış YU. Comparison of two approaches for carpal tunnel release: Extended versus mini-open technique. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2020;31(1):50-55.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.