Postoperative Clinical and Neurophysiological Follow up Study of Very Severe and Exteremely Severe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

J Korean Assoc EMG Electrodiagn Med 2004;6(1):4-9.
Published online May 10, 2004.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the postoperative neurophysiologic outcome and clinical symptoms of patients with very severe and extremely severe carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods: Median nerve conduction test was performed in 27 hands of 20 patients with very severe and extremely severe carpal tunnel syndrome. These 27 hands were classified according to Bland’s neurophysiologic grading scale, 8 hands were Bland’s grade 5, and 9 were grade 6. Patients were examined preoperatively and 1 and 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Results: Eleven hands newly showed motor response through neurophysiologic test as well as eighteen hands did sensory response. The critical period for the best latency and visual analogue scale over median motor nerve and median sensory nerve was one month after operation, and the critical period for the best amplitude was six months after operation. The latency of median motor and sensory nerve had higher correlation with visual analogue scale than the amplitude. The correlation of the latency over median sensory nerve with visual analogue scale is higher than the latency over median motor nerve. Conclusion: Symptoms and parameters of neurophysiologic test improved with operations in patients with very severe and extremely severe carpal tunnel syndrome.

Key Words: Extreme carpal tunnel syndrome, Outcome, Nerve conduction study