Finnish Carpal Tunnel Surgery Study

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-75 years * Clinical manifestations of carpal tunnel syndrome: paresthesia and /or hypoesthesia in the distribution of the median nerve, possibly pain * Electrodiagnostically (ENMG or ENEG) verified compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in the wrist, performed no more than a year before recruitment. * Duration of symptoms 3 months or longer * Patient living independently * Patient has not responded to the use of a resting splint supporting the wrist, nor to other possible conservative forms of treatment * Patient able and willing to give consent * The patient is willing to undergo surgical treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. * The patient has access to a device that can be used to complete electronic symptom questionnaires. Exclusion Criteria: * Work disability * Clinical findings of Abductor Pollicis Brevis atrophy * Symptoms and Electrodiagnostic findings of some other peripheral neural entrapment than carpal tunnel syndrome * Rheumatoid arthritis or other forms of systemic inflammatory disease * Diagnosed dementia * Neurologic disorders affecting the function of the hand * Other untreated systemic disorders or diseases with poor therapeutic balance: hypertension, epilepsy, pulmonary or cardiac disease, liver or renal insufficiency, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, psychiatric disease * Other causes of pain and paresthesia in the hand * Previous trauma of the hand or wrist (e.g. distal radius fracture), which has resulted in compromised hand function * Previous carpal tunnel release in either hand * Previous nerve injury to the upper limb or cervical spine