[Development and implementation of the guideline "Diagnosis of and Therapy for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome"].

In the period from July 2005 through November 2006, the evidence-based guidelines were developed by a steering committee consisting of three members from each of the societies involved (German Society for Hand Surgery, German Society of Neurosurgery, German Society of Neurology and German Society of Orthopaedics), coordinated by one member each from the DGH and the DGNC, under the methodological guidance of Prof. Selbmann of the German Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF). Six all-day working sessions and one proceeding to build a consensus (modified Delphi process) were held within the seven specialised societies involved. Degrees of recommendation, based upon the degree of evidence of the underlying literature studies, modified, if necessary, by the expert opinion of the steering committee's members and the external evaluators of the Delphi round, were established for the most important diagnostic and therapeutic methods. In addition to the long version, a short version and a patient information bulletin were prepared as well, and the ways, means, and considerations surrounding their realisation and implementation, and other potential developments were also pursued.