Mini-Open Carpal Tunnel Release in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is considered the most common nerve compression disorder of the arm and an important cause of pain, neurologic symptoms, and functional limitation of the wrist and hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a complex disorder associated with localized compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel. To assess the functional outcome of mini-open carpal tunnel release. The present study was conducted on 25 patients in Post Graduate Department of Orthopaedics, Government Hospital for Bone and Joint Surgery, an associated hospital of Government Medical College Srinagar from July 2019 to August 2021.The average symptom severity score improved from 3.5 preoperatively to 1.3 at final follow up of 6 months. The average functional status score improved from 3.3 preoperatively to 1.42 at the final follow up of 6 months. The mean distal motor latency and mean distal sensory latency decreased from 5.9 mS and 5.2 mS pre operatively to 4.7 mS and 3.9 mS respectively at the final follow up of 6 months. The mean sensory conduction velocity at 6 months postoperative was 39.6 m/s with range from 22.6 to 60.9 m/s. The mean sensory conduction velocity increased from 28.4 m/s preoperatively to 39.6 m/s at the final follow up of 6 months. Two patients (8%) in our study experienced persistent symptoms 1 patient (4%) had superficial infection which settled with oral antibiotics. Mini-open carpal tunnel release is an effective procedure which gives excellent symptomatic and functional outcome with very few complications. The mini-open technique gives an additional advantage of less operative time, less wound related complications, improved cosmesis and quicker return to routine activity as compared to the open release.