PATIENT SATISFACTION FOLLOWING CARPAL TUNNEL DECOMPRESSION: A COMPARISON OF PATIENTS WITH AND WITH OUT OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE WRIST

Abstract

Aim: Osteoarthritis of the wrist is a well recognised cause of secondary carpal tunnel syndrome. The aim of the study is to compare the outcome following carpal tunnel decompression with regard to patient satisfaction. We compared the outcome of carpal tunnel decompression between patients with and with out osteoarthritis of the wrist.

Patients and Methods: The study was done retrospectively. Clinical notes of all the patients who underwent carpal tunnel decompression over a period of 8 years were verified. Twenty four patients who underwent surgical decompression for carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to osteoarthritis were identified by reviewing the notes and the radiographs. Control group consisted of 24 patients who under went carpal tunnel decompression but without osteoarthritis of the wrist. The control group was matched for age, sex, side, and neuro-physiological severity of the nerve compression. Clinical notes were verified to find whether the patients were satisfied with the symptom relief at the first post-operative follow up visit.

Results: There were 24 patients in the group with osteoarthritis of the wrist. The mean age of the patients was 71 years (range 33–89 years). There were 19 females and five males. The right hand was involved in 17 patients and the left was involved in 7 patients. The control group with out osteoarthritis also had similar distribution regarding age sex side, and neuro-physiological severity of nerve conduction. In the group with osteoarthritis of the wrist 17(71%) patients reported the their symptom relief as satisfactory and the rest seven(29%) reported the results as unsatisfactory. In the control group 23(96%) patients reported their symptom relief as satisfactory and one (4%) reported their results as unsatisfactory (P= 0.0325).

Conclusions: Patient satisfaction following surgical decompression in patients with secondary carpal tunnel syndrome due to osteoarthritis is significantly lower compared to patients with out osteoarthritis of the wrist. Patients with osteoarthritis of the wrist should be warned about the higher incidence of poor outcome prior to decompression.