• Tolga Tüzüner, Kutay Engin Ozturan, Mehmet Subaşi, and Erkut Karaca.
• Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology (Ortopedi ve Travmatoloji Anabilim Dali), Medicine Faculty of Düzce, University of Abant Izzet Baysal, Düzce, Turkey.
• Acta Orthop Traumato. 2005 Jan 1;39(1):35-8.

ObjectivesWe evaluated the early results of endoscopic carpal tunnel release with the use of local anesthesia.MethodsEndoscopic carpal tunnel release was performed in 14 hands of 10 patients (8 females, 2 males; mean age 43 years; range 35 to 58 years) using the two-portal Chow technique following local anesthesia described by Wood and Logan. Involvement was in the right hand in five patients, in the left in three, and in both hands in two patients. Electromyography showed moderate or severe compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel and the Tinel's and Phalen's signs were positive in all the patients. There was no previous history of metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, gout, or hypothyroidism, nor a coexisting pregnancy. The decision for surgery was given at the end of an unsuccessful conservative treatment for a month. The mean follow-up period was 16 months (range 10 to 24 months).ResultsTwo patients (14.3%) required further anesthesia with local anesthetic agents and sedation in the incision area. No complaints of paresthesia were seen during injections. Injection-associated problems such as increased thickness of the synovial layer or decreased endoscopic view did not occur. No instances of tendon or nerve injury, hematoma, or sympathetic dystrophy were seen. One patient developed neuropraxia in the third and forth fingers postoperatively. Early postoperative pain was observed in two wrists, appearing 10 days and two months after surgery, respectively. During the follow-up period, all the patients were free of preoperative complaints and no recurrences were encountered.ConclusionLocal anesthesia is a rapid and reliable technique in carpal tunnel surgery, enabling hospitalization confined to the same day.

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