MULTICENTER PROSPECTIVE REVIEW OF 640 ENDOSCOPIC CARPAL-TUNNEL RELEASES USING THE TRANSBURSAL AND EXTRABURSAL CHOW TECHNIQUES

A prospective study involving eight institutions was performed, incorp orating 640 cases of carpal tunnel release using a dual portal endosco pic technique. The original transbursal technique described by Chow wa s used in 110 cases (17%), and the modified extrabursal technique was used in 530 cases (83%). An overall complication rate of 11% was found in the patients in whom the transbursal technique was used, compared with 2.2% in the patients in whom the extrabursal technique was used. The return-to-work status was followed in 291 cases (199 non-worker's compensation cases and 92 worker's compensation cases). The worker's c ompensation patients returned to work in an average of 57 days, compar ed with 22 days for non-worker's compensation patients. This study sug gests the extrabursal dual portal endoscopic technique is associated w ith fewer complications than the transbursal approach, and patients co vered by worker's compensation return to work later than non-worker's compensation patients.