SÍNDROME DO TÚNEL DO CARPO: UMA COMPARAÇÃO DE RESULTADOS CIRÚRGICOS POR MEIO DO USO DO QUESTIONÁRIO DE LEVINE

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent focal mononeuropathy, accounting for 90% of all neuropathy cases. This condition occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel, leading to entrapment neuropathy. The initial signs of CTS include pain, numbness, and paresthesias in the distribution of the median nerve. Since CTS is a progressive condition in most patients, it can result in permanent loss of sensation and function in the hand if not properly identified and treated. Objective: To describe a comparison of surgical outcomes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) using the Levine questionnaire. Methods: This study is a continuation of another study, which also applied the Levine questionnaire to patients before and after surgery. In both studies, descriptive and association analyses were performed. Data were compiled in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (2016) and subjected to statistical analysis. Results: The first study was conducted with 8 patients, through the application of 9 questionnaires with 13 questions (closed). The research conducted in the previous study with the 8 patients, had an average score of 3.16 before surgery, while the final score was 1.92. Following the study, a study was conducted with 16 more patients, totaling 24 patients with CTS. Among the patients involved in the study, 100% were female, with a higher prevalence of age between 40 and 59 years. At the end of the study, it was found that in both studies there was no significant statistical association between the difference in the results of the questionnaire and laterality (p=0.381) or with age (p=0.966). In agreement with the previous study, which this one was continued involving more patients, the difference in the average score (post minus pre-surgery) was associated with the laterality and age of the patients to verify whether better results were influenced by laterality or age. Conclusion: When comparing surgical results of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) using the Levine questionnaire, it was found that after surgery, most patients, even those who did not experience intense pain in the hand or wrist at night, continued to experience no pain, and those who had moderate, intense and very intense pain no longer felt pain, thus proving the effectiveness of surgery in patients with CTS.