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A retrospective follow-up study of a population-based case series was conducted to
determine the clinical course and outcomes of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). A total
of 425 cases first diagnosed between 1979 and 1988 were followed through 1993. Among
patients who did not have surgery, median duration of symptoms was between 6 and 9
months, but 22% had symptoms for 8 years or longer. Patients who had surgery were
about 6 times more likely to have resolution of their symptoms than were patients
who did not have surgery. Patients who had surgery 3 or more years after their initial
diagnosis of CTS were less than half as likely to have symptom resolution than were
patients who had surgery within 3 years of diagnosis. The results indicate that surgery
is a highly effective treatment, but duration of CTS prior to surgery is a key determinant
of surgical outcome.
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
September 15,
1996
Received:
September 6,
1994
Footnotes
*This study was supported by grant #U07/CCU507126 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
**No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commerical party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 1997 The American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved. Published by Elsevier Inc.
