scholarly journals Outcomes Following Carpal Tunnel Release in Patients Receiving Workers’ Compensation: A Systematic Review

Hand ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Dunn ◽  
Nicholas A. Kusnezov ◽  
Logan R. Koehler ◽  
Dennis Vanden Berge ◽  
Ben Genco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Standard Form ◽  
Outcome Data ◽  
Workers Compensation ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Patient Demographics

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common occupational pathology, representing a high percentage of workers’ compensation (WC) claims. Methods: The literature was reviewed for all studies evaluating CTS outcomes including WC patients between 1993 and 2016. A total of 348 articles were identified; 25 of which met inclusion and exclusion criteria. A systematic review was generated; patient demographics, outcomes, and complications were recorded. Weighted averages were calculated for the demographic and outcome data. Categorical data such as complications were pooled from the studies and used to determine the overall complication rate. Statistical significance was determined between WC and non-WC cohorts when applicable with the chi-square statistic. Results: The WC cohort included 1586 wrists, and the non-WC cohort included 2781 wrists. The WC cohort was younger and more often involved the dominant extremity. The WC cohort was less likely to have appropriate physical exam findings confirming diagnosis and electrodiagnostic studies. WC patients took almost 5 weeks longer to return to work, were 16% less likely to return to preinjury vocation, and had lower Standard Form (SF)-36 scores. Finally, WC patients had nearly 3 times the number of complications and nearly twice the rate of persistent pain. Conclusions: WC patients undergoing carpal tunnel release (CTR) fare poorly as compared with non-WC patients in nearly every metric. Higher rates of postoperative pain with delayed return to work can be anticipated in a WC cohort. In addition, WC patients receive suboptimal preoperative workup, and it is possible that unnecessary surgery is being completed in these cases. These findings are important to consider when treating the WC patient with CTS.

scholarly journals Prognostic Variables for Patient Return-to-Work Interval Following Carpal Tunnel Release in a Workers’ Compensation Population

Hand ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 246-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenniefer Y. Kho ◽  
Michael P. Gaspar ◽  
Patrick M. Kane ◽  
Sidney M. Jacoby ◽  
Eon K. Shin
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Workers Compensation ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Surgical Data

Background: We hypothesize that depressive and anxiety disorders, chronic pain conditions, and work-related factors are significant determinants of the time interval for return to work (RTW) in the workers’ compensation (WC) population following carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of all WC patients who underwent open CTR surgery over a 5-year period by 1 of 3 fellowship-trained hand surgeons. One hundred fifty-two wrists in 108 patients (64 unilateral, 44 bilateral) met the inclusion criteria. Demographic, medical, and surgical data were obtained from patient records. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess predictors of RTW. Results: Eighty-nine percent of all patients returned to work full-duty. Average RTW duration in all wrists was 12.5 ± 11.3 weeks. Predictors of delayed RTW in bivariate and multivariate analyses were depression with or without anxiety, chronic pain disorders including fibromyalgia, preoperative opioid use, and modified preoperative work status. Job type, motor nerve conduction velocity, and bilateral surgery were not predictive of delayed RTW interval. Conclusions: WC patients with depression, anxiety, or fibromyalgia and other chronic pain disorders were significantly more likely to have delayed RTW following CTR than were WC patients without these conditions. In addition, those who use opioid medications preoperatively and those with preoperative work restrictions were also found to have a significantly delayed RTW after CTR. Knowledge of these risk factors may help care providers and employers identify those WC patients who are most likely to have a protracted postoperative recovery period.

Rates of and Risk Factors for Trigger Finger after Open Carpal Tunnel Release

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy E. Raducha ◽  
Winston Jiang ◽  
Lindsey Kahan ◽  
James Houston Dove ◽  
Christopher Cochran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Ring Finger ◽  
Middle Finger ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Patient Demographics ◽  
History Of ◽  
Chi Square Analysis ◽  
Open Carpal Tunnel Release

Abstract Background We have anecdotally noticed a higher rate of trigger fingers (TFs) developing in patients who have undergone carpal tunnel release (CTR). Questions/Objective Is the rate of TFs after CTR greater compared to the nonoperative hand? Is the thumb more commonly involved postoperatively compared with spontaneous TFs? Do particular associated comorbidities increase this risk? Patients and Methods We queried our institutional database for patients who had undergone open CTR during a 2-year period and recorded the development of an ipsilateral TF after a CTR or a contralateral TF in the nonoperative hand. Patient demographics, comorbidities, concurrent initial procedures, time to diagnosis, and finger involvement were recorded. Results A total of 435 patients underwent 556 CTRs during this period. Furthermore, 46 ipsilateral TFs developed in 38 of 556 cases (6.83%) at an average of 228.1 ± 195.7 days after surgery. The thumb was most commonly involved (37.0%) followed by the ring finger (28.3%). The incidence rate of TF in the nonoperative hand during this period was 2.7%, with the ring finger and middle finger most commonly involved (33.3 and 28.6%, respectively). Only history of prior TF in either hand was found to be a significantly associated on Chi-square analysis and multivariable regression (p < 0.001). Conclusion In patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, ipsilateral TFs occurred after 6.83% of CTRs, compared with a rate of 2.7% in the nonoperative hand, making it an important possible outcome to discuss with patients. The thumb was more commonly involved in triggering in the surgical hand compared with the nonoperative hand. Patients with a history of prior TFs in either hand were more likely to develop an ipsilateral TF after CTR. Level of Evidence This is a Level III, retrospective study.

scholarly journals Microsurgical carpal tunnel release

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. E5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Shapiro
Keyword(s):  
Return To Work ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Workers Compensation ◽  
Complete Disappearance ◽  
Antibiotic Administration ◽  
Outpatient Basis ◽  
Improvement Rate ◽  
Steroid Dependent ◽  
The Mean

The author reports on a series of 482 patients who underwent primary carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery beginning in 1987. Two hundred twenty-five patients underwent CTR in the right hand, 169 patients underwent CTR in the left hand, and 88 patients underwent bilateral CTR surgery, for a total of 570 hands. These surgeries were performed on an outpatient basis. After application of a local anesthetic, a microsurgical technique using a 2-cm longitudinal incision that did not cross the wrist flexion crease was accomplished. In five patients the recurrent thenar branch exited through the middle or ulnar portion of the ligament and this branch was preserved in all five. Perioperative complications included stitch abscesses in nine hands (2%), which were managed on an outpatient basis; deep wound infections occurred in three hands (0.5%) and these patients were admitted for intravenous antibiotic administration and wound care. One steroid-dependent patient suffered wound dehiscence due to a fall and the wound was primarily repaired. One patient required a second minor procedure to remove a retained suture. Two patients developed “trigger finger” 6 months postoperatively. The mean time until return to work for those patients not receiving Workers' Compensation was 3 weeks and for those receiving Workers' Compensation it was 6.5 weeks. Complete disappearance of painful dysesthesias occurred in 431 (89%) of 482 patients. Marked improvement occurred in another 33 (7%) patients, yielding an overall improvement rate of 96%. Motor improvement was noted in 438 (96%) of 454 patients with preoperative motor weakness. Bilateral symptoms resolved on the contralateral side following unilateral surgery in seven patients. Fifteen patients (12 of whom were receiving Workers' Compensation) experienced persistent dysesthesias and/or incision pain and did not return to work. An additional eight procedures were performed in patients who had previously undergone surgery at another institution; four showed no evidence of their transverse carpal ligament being sectioned. Five of the eight patients undergoing reexploration noted postoperative improvement in their symptoms. Finally, 14 (3%) patients presented 1 to 5 years postsurgery with thenar/hypothenar pain. These patients have responded to local steroid injections and are being followed by a hand surgeon. The reimbursement of the surgeon's fee is $253.00 from Medicaid, $360.00 from Medicare, and $560.00 from preferred provider insurance. The mean total time in the outpatient operating room is 35 to 40 minutes. The outcome and time to return to work are equal, if not superior, to those reported for endoscopic CTR surgery. Microsurgical CTR is thought to be safer and probably more cost-effective.

Surgical Techniques and Return to Work Following Carpal Tunnel Release: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 474-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaveh A. Sanati ◽  
Massoud Mansouri ◽  
Duncan Macdonald ◽  
Shahab Ghafghazi ◽  
Ewan Macdonald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Surgical Techniques

Prognostic factors for return to work following Carpal Tunnel Release: Systematic Review.

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Susan Peters ◽  
Venerina Johnston ◽  
Sonia Hines ◽  
Mark Ross ◽  
Michel Coppitiers
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Prognostic Factors ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release

Prognostic factors for return to work following Carpal Tunnel Release: Systematic Review.

2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Peters ◽  
Venerina Johnston ◽  
Sonia Hines ◽  
Mark Ross ◽  
Michel Coppitiers
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Prognostic Factors ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release

Systematic review and meta-analysis of surgical options for recurrent or persistent carpal tunnel syndrome: simple decompression versus coverage of the median nerve

2021 ◽  
pp. 175319342110017
Author(s):  
Saskia F. de Roo ◽  
Philippe N. Sprangers ◽  
Erik T. Walbeehm ◽  
Brigitte van der Heijden
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ◽  
Median Nerve ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Surgical Techniques ◽  
Open Release ◽  
Flap Coverage ◽  
Tunnel Syndrome

We performed a systematic review on the success of different surgical techniques for the management of recurrent and persistent carpal tunnel syndrome. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria and were grouped by the type of revision carpal tunnel release, which were simple open release, open release with flap coverage or open release with implant coverage. Meta-analysis showed no difference, and pooled success proportions were 0.89, 0.89 and 0.85 for simple open carpal tunnel release, additional flap coverage and implant groups, respectively. No added value for coverage of the nerve was seen. Our review indicates that simple carpal tunnel release without additional coverage of the median nerve seems preferable as it is less invasive and without additional donor site morbidity. We found that the included studies were of low quality with moderate risk of bias and did not differentiate between persistent and recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Influence of Illness Perception and Mental Health on Return to Work After Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery

2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 748-757
Author(s):  
Miguel C. Jansen ◽  
Mark J.W. van der Oest ◽  
Nicoline P. de Haas ◽  
Ruud W. Selles, PhD ◽  
J. Michiel Zuidam, MD, PhD ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Illness Perception ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery

Return to Work After Primary Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 036354652097542
Author(s):  
Eric D. Haunschild ◽  
Ron Gilat ◽  
Ophelie Lavoie-Gagne ◽  
Michael C. Fu ◽  
Tracy Tauro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Rotator Cuff ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
Rotator Cuff Repair ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Work Outcomes ◽  
Workers Compensation ◽  
Work Intensity ◽  
Rates Of Return ◽  
Cuff Repair

Background: Rotator cuff tears are a prevalent pathology in injured workers, causing significant economic ramifications and time away from work. To date, published articles on work outcomes after rotator cuff repair have not been cumulatively assessed and analyzed. Purpose: To systematically review reports on return to work after rotator cuff repair and perform a meta-analysis on factors associated with improved work outcomes. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A systematic review of return-to-work investigations was performed using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Individual studies reporting rates of return to previous work with level of evidence 1 to 4 were independently screened by 2 authors for inclusion, and study quality was assessed using the Methodologic Index for Non-randomized Studies and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Work outcome data were synthesized and analyzed using random effects modeling to identify differences in rates of return to previous work as a function of operative technique, work intensity, and workers’ compensation status. Results: Thirteen retrospective investigations comprising 1224 patients who underwent rotator cuff repair met inclusion criteria for this investigation. Across all investigations, a weighted average of 62.3% of patients returned to previous level of work at 8.15 ± 2.7 months (mean ± SD) after surgery. Based on random effects modeling, higher rates of return to previous work were identified with decreasing work intensity ( P < .001), while rates were similar between open and arthroscopic repair technique ( P = .418) and between workers’ compensation and non–workers’ compensation cohorts ( P = .089). All shoulder pain and functional outcome assessments demonstrated significant improvements at final follow-up when compared with baseline across all investigations. Conclusion: The majority of injured workers undergoing rotator cuff repair return to previous work at approximately 8 months after surgery. Despite this, >35% of patients are unable to return to their previous work level after their repair procedure. Similar rates of return to work can be anticipated regardless of workers’ compensation status and operative technique, while patients in occupations with higher physical intensity experience inferior work outcomes.

scholarly journals Open versus endoscopic carpal tunnel release: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yueying Li ◽  
Wenqi Luo ◽  
Guangzhi Wu ◽  
Shusen Cui ◽  
Xiaossong Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Return To Work ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Nerve Injury ◽  
Carpal Tunnel ◽  
Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release ◽  
Satisfaction Rates

Abstract Background Endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR) and open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) both have advantages and disadvantages for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We compared the effectiveness and safety of ECTR and OCTR based on evidence from a high-level randomized controlled trial. MethodsWe comprehensively searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Medline to identify relevant articles published until August 2019. Data regarding operative time, grip strength, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire scores, digital sensation, patient satisfaction, key pinch strength, return to work time, and complications were extracted and compared. All mean differences (MD) and odds ratios (OR) were expressed as ECTR relative to OCTR. Results Twenty-eight studies were included in our meta-analysis. ECTR was associated with significantly higher satisfaction rates (MD, 3.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43 to 4.82; P = 0.0003), greater key pinch strengths (MD, 0.79 kg; 95% CI, 0.27 to 1.32; P = 0.003), earlier return to work times (MD, -7.25 days; 95% CI, -14.31 to -0.19; P = 0.04), higher transient nerve injury rates (OR, 4.87; 95% CI, 1.37 to 17.25; P = 0.01), and a lower incidence of scar-related complications (OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.59; P = 0.004). There were no significant differences between the two methods in terms of permanent nerve injury (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 0.58 to 6.40; P = 0.28). Conclusions Overall, evidence from randomized controlled trials indicates that ECTR results in better recovery of daily life functions than OCTR, as revealed by higher satisfaction rates, greater key pinch strengths, earlier return to work times, and fewer scar-related complications. Our findings suggest that patients with CTS can be effectively managed with ECTR.

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