Patients’ Perceptions of the Surgical Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most frequent peripheral neuropathy of the upper limbs in adults. Although surgical treatment is considered safe and medically effective, the expectations regarding the severity of the disease, as well as the functional results obtained, may be different among physicians and patients.

Objective: In this study, we analyzed patient’s perception and the overall experience about carpal tunnel decompression in a Brazilian public institution.

Methods: We conducted a prospective qualitative study with semi-structured interviews in 20 patients who underwent carpal tunnel release 10–42 months prior. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis.

Results: Six topics emerged: (1) functional restriction and pain as the main reason for seeking surgery; (2) most patients considered carpal tunnel syndrome as a serious illness; (3) patients were satisfied with the overall surgical experience; (4) many patients did not return to work after surgery, despite reporting significant improvement; (5) patients recommend surgical treatment as soon as possible; (6) most patients considered physical therapy important in rehabilitation.

Conclusions: Patients had a positive overall experience. In our community, we need to improve the perception of the severity of the disease and the recovering time before returning to work.