Pitfalls in carpal tunnel decompression.

In the period 1972 to 1977, 35 patients with persistent pain and other disabilities after carpal tunnel decompression were referred for treatment. The pitfalls included: (i) wrong diagnosis--5 patients; (ii) inadequate decompression--9 patients; (iii) recurrent compression--4 patients; (iv) iatrogenic nerve injury--7 patients; and (v) postoperative complications--10 patients. The patients in Groups 1 and 5 were treated by non-operative measures. Most of the patients in Groups 2, 3, and 4 were treated by reoperation. This paper outlines the causes and prevention of pitfalls in carpal tunnel decompression.