Importance of Early Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Computer Hand -

Background: Synonymous with carpal tunnel syndrome is the name computer hand which includes a massive use of computers, and is associated with modern lifestyles. In everyday practice, great importance is early detection of carpal tunnel syndrome, and its timely and adequate treatment. The long-term nerve compression generally reduces the chances of successful surgical treatment. Therefore, the priority programs impose improvement of early diagnosis and prevention of disease in general population and occupationally exposed persons, and the detection of risk factors with their timely removal. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the correlation between the time interval from onset of CTS symptoms to surgery with a recovery time interval. Patients and methods: In a retrospective study, we analyzed 43 patients from which 13 patients were male and 30 female patients who were surgically treated at the Clinic for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in the period from January 1st 2000 to January 1st 2008. The criterion by which patients were included in the study was clinically verified diagnosis of median nerve compression in the wrist. All patients included in the study have a history of long-term work at the computer keyboard. Results: The average recovery time after surgery varies depending on the period that has passed since the onset of symptoms to surgery. The study proves the effectiveness of surgery in reducing pain and improving hand function in patients in whom the time interval between onset of symptoms to surgery was less than three months. Conclusion: In everyday practice, the most important is early recognition of CTS, and its timely treatment. Therefore, it is recommended to shorten the time and improve diagnosis of patients with suspected CTS. When it comes to family medicine physicians, it would include additional training and focus attention on early detection of this disease.