Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, including details on symptoms, causes, trauma, diagnosis, physiotherapy. | ||||||||
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Comparing the outcome of a carpal tunnel decompression at 2 weeks and 6 months.Mallick A, Clarke M, Kershaw CJ Department of Orthopaedics, Leicester General Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicestershire, United Kingdom. amallick@doctors.org.uk PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate if 2-week Levine score can provide an adequately responsive outcome measure in carpal tunnel decompression by comparing it with 6-month score. METHODS: The treatment outcome of 300 patients with carpal tunnel decompression was determined by using Levine score at 2 weeks and 6 months after surgery. The mean age of patients was 56 years, 71% (214) were women, and 55% (167) of operations were performed on the right hand. All patients were scored using the Levine questionnaire preoperatively and at 2 weeks and 6 months from date of surgery. The correlation between the scores was evaluated. RESULTS: Although statistical significance was found between the preoperative score and the scores at both 2 weeks and 6 months, no statistical difference was found between the scores at 2 weeks and 6 months after surgery. Multiple regression analysis with the 2 week-6 month score difference as the dependent variable shows a predictable outcome at 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the Levine score at 2 weeks is a reliable, responsive, and practical instrument for outcome measure in carpal tunnel surgery. It coincides with suture removal and provides a convenient and predictive assessment of the medium-term results in a high percentage of treated patients. We conclude that the 2 time points, 2 weeks and 6 months, are equivalent in outcome because a less than 10-point difference is not clinically meaningful. Published 9 October 2007 in J Hand Surg [Am], 32(8): 1154-8.
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