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Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg 2026; 53(01): 072-085
DOI: 10.1055/a-2769-7554
Hand/Peripheral Nerve
Review Article

Current Surgical Trends in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Authors

  • Sang Hyun Woo 

    1   W Institute for Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery, W General Hospital, Daegu, South Korea

  • Bong Gyu Choi 

    1   W Institute for Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery, W General Hospital, Daegu, South Korea

  • Soo Jin Woo 

    1   W Institute for Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery, W General Hospital, Daegu, South Korea

  • Kwang Hyun Park 

    1   W Institute for Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery, W General Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
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Abstract

This review highlights current surgical approaches for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the most common compressive neuropathy of the upper extremity. Open, mini-open, endoscopic, and emerging minimally invasive techniques are compared in terms of outcomes, complications, pillar pain, and reoperation rates. Surgical indications, anatomical considerations, and management of recalcitrant CTS—including recurrent, persistent, and new-onset symptoms—are discussed. Adjunct procedures such as opponensplasty and flexor synovectomy are reviewed, with emphasis on patient selection, individualized decision-making, and the importance of thorough anatomical knowledge to ensure safe adoption of novel techniques.

Keywords

carpal tunnel syndrome - median nerve - nerve compression syndromes

Contributors' Statement

Conceptualization: S.H.W.

Data curation: S.J.W.

Formal analysis: S.J.W.

Methodology: S.H.W., S.J.W.

Writing – original draft: S.H.W.

Writing – review & editing: S.H.W., B.G.C., S.J.W., K.H.P. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.


Ethical Approval

This article is a narrative review; therefore, institutional review board approval was not required.


Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from the patients for publication of this article and accompanying images.




Publication History

Received: 30 August 2025

Accepted: 09 December 2025

Article published online:
30 January 2026

© 2026. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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