Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (2)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gorsche, R. G.
Right arrow Articles by Burke, N.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gorsche, R. G.
Right arrow Articles by Burke, N.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Occupational Medicine 52:491-496 (2002)
Copyright © 2002 Society of Occupational Medicine

Comparison of outcomes of untreated carpal tunnel syndrome and asymptomatic controls in meat packers

R. G. Gorsche*,, J. P. Wiley, R. Brant, R. F. Renger, T. M. Sasyniuk and N. Burke

Department of Community Health Sciences and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary
The University of Calgary Sport Medicine Center, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

*Correspondence to: Dr Ron Gorsche, c/o Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive, N.W. Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 4N1. e-mail: rgorsche{at}telusplanet.net

Abstract

Our objectives were to determine the reporting of symptoms, the medical outcome and the work status of meat plant workers diagnosed with clinical carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Forty-seven cases of CTS were identified from a previously reported study, and were matched by age, gender and hand use. Cases and controls were followed up for 24 months. The Provincial Workers' Compensation Board and company health records were used to determine the reporting of symptoms, interventions and work status. Thirty-one study cases and all control cases were followed for the full 24 months (16 study cases were lost to follow-up). In total, 12 cases reported symptoms of CTS during the 24 months (eight study cases and four controls). Of the eight study cases, one required surgical release of the carpal tunnel. After a period of work modification, five of the eight study cases returned to regular duty and the remainder were placed on permanent job restrictions. Of the four controls, one subject had a surgical release and returned to regular work, two subjects' jobs were permanently modified, and the fourth returned to regular duty. Occupation-related CTS in meat packers appears to be transient and responsive to conservative measures, with a surgical rate comparable to other occupations.

Keywords      Carpal tunnel syndrome; median nerve; nerve compression syndrome; outcome; return to work


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.