Tenosynovitis: tendon and nerve entrapment.

The pathophysiology associated with tendon and nerve entrapment due to idiopathic tenosynovitis of the hand and wrist is discussed. The basis of clinical symptoms, nonoperative and operative treatment, complications, and prognosis relating to stenosing tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are reviewed. A systematic approach to developing a philosophy for operative treatment is based upon severity of symptoms and findings at surgery. Deformities of the median nerve are classified into grades that correlate with symptoms and influence selection of the surgical procedure.