Ninety-five hands (86 patients) were treated by endoscopic carpal tunnel re
lease using the technique of Agee. They were the first ones operated on by
the senior author (GF) using this technique. The patients were interviewed
at a mean follow-up of 4.5 years: 72% of hands were free of symptoms and 94
% were described by the patients as functionally normal. Seventeen hands to
ut of 27) with residual or recurrent symptoms were examined. Nine hands (ni
ne patients) were only partially improved (mean 6.7 on a 10 point scale) an
d in eight hands (seven patients), some symptoms had recurred after a mean
delay of 3.8 years. It was possible to find a second pathology in most of t
hese cases. It is necessary to inform the patient before operation that inc
omplete relief or recurrence of symptoms can occur after endoscopic carpal
tunnel release, as with conventional release.