DISTRIBUTION OF NERVE-FIBERS IN THE STANDARD INCISION FOR CARPAL-TUNNEL DECOMPRESSION

Twenty-two paired biopsy specimens of skin and subcutaneous tissue fro m the proximal and distal halves of the conventional curvilinear incis ion for carpal tunnel decompression were histologically examined. The specimens were immunohistochemically stained with S100 antibody to hig hlight the nerve fibers. The mean count of free nerve endings in the p roximal biopsy site was 4.42/mm(2) (SD, 2.97; range, 1.23-12.27), comp ared to 4.2/mm(2) (SD, 2.71; range, 1.01-10.50) in the distal biopsy s pecimens. This difference was not statistically significant (p = .20, Wilcoxon's signed ranks [matched pairs] test). The proximal incision s ite for carpal tunnel decompression did not appear to be more neurorec eptive than the distal incision site, providing no support for the imp lication of proximal incision sites in proximal scar tenderness.