Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Age delays the recovery of distal motor latency after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery

  • Clinical Article - Neurosurgical Techniques
  • Published:
Acta Neurochirurgica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Studies have shown slow healing of peripheral nerve injury in elderly patients. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most frequent compressive mononeuropathy, affecting mostly older people and females. Few studies have assessed electrophysiological differences between younger and older patients. We aimed to evaluate age-dependent differences in electrophysiological parameters preoperatively and postoperatively over a 100-day postoperative period.

Method

This retrospective study included 258 hands of patients who underwent conventional open-technique carpal tunnel syndrome surgery. Patients with paresthesia in the median nerve distribution or with impaired sensation or abnormal findings in sensory and motor median nerve conduction studies were enrolled. The age dependence of the preoperative values of distal motor latency, amplitude of the compound motor action potential and sensory conduction velocity was estimated using regression analysis.

Results

Statistically significant age dependence was found for the preoperative distal motor latency, compound motor action potential, amplitude and sensory conduction velocity. The repair of segmental demyelination was nearly twice as slow in the older group, at a 5 % significance level, even when comparing groups with the same preoperative distal motor latency.

Conclusions

Analysis of preoperative nerve conduction parameters indicates that surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome is performed later in older patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Assmus H, Antoniadis G, Bischoff C, Haussmann P, Martini AK, Mascharka Z, Scheglmann K, Schwerdtfeger K, Selbmann HK, Towfigh H, Vogt T, Wessels KD, Wüstner-Hofmann M (2007) [Diagnosis and therapy of carpal tunnel syndrome—guideline of the German Societies of Handsurgery, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Clinical Neurophysiology and Functional Imaging, Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, and Surgery for Traumatology]. Handchir Mikrochir Plast Chir 39:276–288

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Becker J, Scalco RS, Pietroski F, Celli LF, Gomes I (2013) Is carpal tunnel syndrome a slow, chronic, progressive nerve entrapment? Clin Neurophysiol 8:S1388–S2001

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kanta M, Ehler E, Kremlácek J, Rehák S, Lastovicka D, Adamkov J, Habalová J, Bartos M (2009) The potential benefit of intracarpal pressure measurement in endoscopic carpal tunnel syndrome surgery—an analysis of EMG findings and pressure values. Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove) 52:63–68

    Google Scholar 

  4. Katz JN, Losina E, Amick BC 3rd, Fossel AH, Bessette L, Keller RB (2001) Predictors of outcomes of carpal tunnel release. Arthritis Rheum 44:1184–1193

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Shifflett GD, Dy CJ, Daluiski A (2012) Carpal tunnel surgery: patient preferences and predictors for satisfaction. Patient Prefer Adherence 6:685–689

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Schlagenhauff RE, Glasauer FE (1971) Pre- and postoperative electromyographic evaluations in the carpal tunnel syndrome. J Neurosurg 35:314–319

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Turner A, Kimble F, Gulyás K, Ball J (2010) Can the outcome of open carpal tunnel release be predicted?: a review of the literature. ANZ J Surg 80:50–54

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Vaughan DW (1992) Effects of advancing age on peripheral nerve regeneration. J Comp Neurol 323:219–237

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Verdú E, Ceballos D, Vilches JJ, Navarro X (2005) Influence of aging on peripheral nerve function and regeneration. J Peripher Nerv Syst 5:191–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Weber RA, DeSalvo DJ, Rude MJ (2010) Five-year follow-up of carpal tunnel release in patients over age 65. J Hand Surg Am 35:207–211

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Xu QG, Midha R, Martinez JA, Guo GF, Zochodne DW (2008) Facilitated sprouting in a peripheral nerve injury. Neuroscience 152:877–887

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Zyluk A, Puchalski P (2013) A comparison of the results of carpal tunnel release in patients in different age groups. Neurol Neurochir Pol 47:241–246

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Supported by MH CZ-DRO (UHHK, 00179906).

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computing and Control Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic

    O. Vyšata, A. Procházka & M. Yadollahi

  2. Department of Neurology, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové, Sokolská Street 581, 500 05, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

    O. Vyšata, P. Kunc & M. Vališ

  3. Department of Neurology, Regional Hospital in Pardubice, Faculty of Health-Care, University of Pardubice, Kyjevská Street 44, 532 03, Pardubice, Czech Republic

    E. Ehler

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové, Sokolská Street 581, 500 05, Hradec Královée, Czech Republic

    M. Kanta

Authors
  1. O. Vyšata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Procházka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Kunc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Kanta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. E. Ehler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. Yadollahi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. M. Vališ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Vališ.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vyšata, O., Procházka, A., Kunc, P. et al. Age delays the recovery of distal motor latency after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery. Acta Neurochir 156, 1335–1339 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-014-2065-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00701-014-2065-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation