L. Bostrom et al., SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF CARPAL-TUNNEL SYNDROME IN PATIENTS EXPOSED TO VIBRATION FROM HAND-HELD-TOOLS, Scandinavian journal of plastic and reconstructive surgery and hand surgery, 28(2), 1994, pp. 147-149
During 1985 at Sabbatsberg Hospital in Stockholm, carpal tunnel decomp
ression was done for 50 men (58 hands) with carpal tunnel syndrome (CT
S). In 1988 2.5 to 3 years after the operations, a questionnaire about
their present health was answered by 43 men (50 hands). In 10/17 (59%
) hands exposed to vibrations and 26/33 (79%) not exposed, carpal tunn
el decompression had resulted in no recurrence of neurological symptom
s at follow up. Preoperative signs of neurophysiological dysfunction o
f the ulnar nerve, which might indicate a more widespread neuropathy,
did not correlate with poor postoperative function of the median nerve
. We recommend that patients with carpal tunnel syndrome should be ope
rated on, whether or not they have been exposed to vibration.