RISK AND COMPLICATIONS IN ENDOSCOPIC CARPAL-TUNNEL RELEASE

Single portal endoscopic carpal tunnel release was carried out in 107 hands of 88 patients. There were 11 complications. These included inco mplete release (2), post operative scarring around the median and ulna r nerves (2), laceration of the superficial palmar arterial arch (1), reflex sympathetic dystrophy (2), palmar fasciitis (1), and wound infl ammation (3). In two cases there was no relief of symptoms. In one the re was incorrect diagnosis and in another, incorrect indication for en doscopic carpal tunnel release. The follow-up was from 3 to 18 months with an average of 6.8 months. The overall results of the patients in this series are being presented in another paper. Of the 107 procedure s, 73 were rated as having an excellent, 25 good, three fair, and six poor results. The case of laceration of the superficial palmar arteria l arch is discussed in detail in the paper. The two cases of reflex sy mpathetic dystrophy and the one case of palmar fasciitis had mild clin ical features and resolved within 3 months. The inflammation in three of the wounds at the wrist resolved within 2 days of removal of the pe rcutaneous sutures. These three patients had returned to heavy hand ac tivities within a few days of surgery.