Do not recommend carpal tunnel release without electrodiagnostic studies to confirm the diagnosis and severity of nerve entrapment.

Carpal tunnel release is a highly effective treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Clinicians considering referral for surgical management should be aware that good surgical outcome is best correlated with a combination of positive clinical and positive electrodiagnostic studies (EDX). Clinical tests together with EDX have a better association with surgical outcome than either alone. Pre-op nerve conduction study severity can also better predict time to resolution and degree of resolution of symptoms.

 

Sources:

Basiri K, et al. Practical approach to electrodiagnosis of the carpal tunnel syndrome: A review. Adv Biomed Res. 2015 Feb 17;4:50. PMID: 25802819.

Bland JD. Do nerve conduction studies predict the outcome of carpal tunnel decompression? Muscle Nerve. 2001 Jul;24(7):935-40. PMID: 11410921.

Fowler JR, et al. Pre-operative electrodiagnostic testing predicts time to resolution of symptoms after carpal tunnel release. J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2016 Feb;41(2):137-42. PMID: 25770901.

Keith MW, et al. Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2009 Jun;17(6):389-96. PMID: 19474448.

Ono S, et al. Optimal management of carpal tunnel syndrome. Int J Gen Med. 2010 Aug 30;3:255-61. PMID: 20830201.