Thirty-three hands (twenty-nine patients) had a release of the carpal
tunnel without internal neurolysis for severe carpal-tunnel syndrome. All
of the hands had increased values for two-point discrimination or thenar
atrophy, or both. Twenty-three (89 per cent) of the twenty-six hands that
had increased values for two-point discrimination and twenty-six (87 per
cent) of the thirty hands that had an elevated result on Semmes-Weinstein
testing had normal values at follow-up. Nine (90 per cent) of the ten hands
that had weakness of the thenar muscles (grade-3 strength or less) regained
grade-4 or 5 strength. Thirteen (65 per cent) of the twenty hands that had
thenar atrophy regained normal muscle bulk. Eighteen (62 per cent) of the
twenty-nine patients had complete resolution of symptoms and signs of
compression of the median nerve. No significant difference was found
between the results in this series of patients and those in a previously
reported similar group of patients who were treated by release of the
carpal tunnel combined with internal neurolysis of the median nerve.