| Reference |
Symptoms <= 3 months |
Symptoms > 3 months |
Return to work / ADL |
Complications |
| Brüser 1999 and Richter 1996 |
No significant differences in night symptoms, tingling and numbness between the groups after 1, 2, 3, 6 weeks. |
Not assessed. |
Median (mean) 21 (17.6) days versus 18 (18.8) days (no significant difference between the groups). |
No significant differences in scar tenderness and tenderness of the thenar and hypothenar eminances after 1, 2, 3, 6 weeks (differences ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 on 5 point scale). |
| Citron 1997 |
No suitable data presented. |
96% (modified incision) and 89% (standard incision) completely free of symptoms after 12 months (difference 7%, 95%CI ‐9 to 22). |
Not assessed. |
No significant difference in pain of the thenar eminance between the groups. Significantly more recovery in scar sensitivity after modified incision compared with standard incision (differences ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 on a visual analogue scale). 1 delayed wound healing in both groups. |
| Eichhorn 2003 |
|
Mean overall severity scores (scale 1‐6) after > 1 year: OCTR 2.2; mini incision 2.2 |
|
Two postoperative infections after OCTR; none in the mini‐incision group.
Recurrences: OCTR 7% and mini‐incision 14%. Need for repeated surgery: OCTR 5% and mini‐incision 9%. |
| Jugovac 2002 |
No significant difference in relief (31/36 vs 31/36) between the groups after 3 months. |
Not assessed. |
Median 15 (5 to 45) days versus 30 (10 to 60) days (significant difference between the groups in favour of limited incision). |
Scar tenderness: 3/36 (limited incision) versus 8/36 (standard incision). |
| Nakamichi 1997 |
No significant differences in symptoms (numbness and paraesthesiae) between the groups after 3, 6, 13 weeks. |
No significant differences in symptoms (numbness and paraesthesiae) between the groups after 6, 12, 24 months. 86% (modified incision) and 89% (standard incision) completely free of symptoms after 24 months (difference ‐3%, 95% CI ‐16 to 10). |
Not assessed. |
Standard incision significantly more scar pain and tenderness compared with modified incision after 3, 6, 13 weeks (differences ranging from 0.5 to 0.9 on 4 point scale). No other complications. |
| Nitzsche 1999 |
No quantitative data reported. |
No quantitative data reported. |
No quantitative data reported. |
No quantitative data reported. |
