Carpal tunnel release is a highly effective treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Clinicians considering referral for surgical management should be aware that good surgical outcome is best correlated with a combination of positive clinical and positive electrodiagnostic studies (EDX). Clinical tests together with EDX have a better association with surgical outcome than either alone. Pre-op nerve conduction study severity can also better predict time to resolution and degree of resolution of symptoms.

Conditions: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Diagnostic Tests: Electrodiagnostic studies (EDX), nerve conduction study

Procedures: Carpal tunnel release

Sources

• Keith MW, Masear V, Chung K, et al. Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2009 Jun;17(6):389-96. (PubMed)
• Basiri K, Katirji B. Practical approach to electrodiagnosis of the carpal tunnel syndrome: A review. Adv Biomed Res. 2015 Feb 17;4:50. (PubMed)
• Bland JD. Do nerve conduction studies predict the outcome of carpal tunnel decompression? Muscle Nerve. 2001 Jul;24(7):935-40. (PubMed)
• Fowler JR, Munsch M, Huang Y, Hagberg WC, Imbriglia JE. Pre-operative electrodiagnostic testing predicts time to resolution of symptoms after carpal tunnel release. J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2016 Feb;41(2):137-42. (PubMed)
• Ono S, Clapham PJ, Chung KC. Optimal management of carpal tunnel syndrome. Int J Gen Med. 2010 Aug 30;3:255-61. (PubMed)