The Professional Future in Operated Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study of Recognized Occupational Cases.

BACKGROUND: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is frequently present among workers. This syndrome's professional and economic impact makes it a priority in occupational health. We aimed to describe the professional future of workers suffering from occupational CTS after surgery and the factors that could influence their retention at the job. -Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of workers operated on occupational CTS was conducted from 2014 to 2019. The data was collected using pre-established and phone questionnaires to determine their professional future after surgery. RESULTS: We included 99 workers with operated CTS. They had a mean age of 45±6.5 years, were predominantly female (97%), and had two dependent children in 72.7% of cases. They worked as a seamstress in 44.4% of patients with a mean professional seniority of 18±7.2 years. The professional future was a return to work with a job transfer at 44.4% and job maintenance with ergonomic adjustments at 39.4%. A job loss was noticed in 12.2% of cases. Early retirement was noticed in 8.2%, dismissal in 3%, and resignation in 1% of cases. The factors influencing the professional future were age 50 to 59 years (p=0.01) and dependent children (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In our survey, most operated-CTS workers benefited from a job transfer and kept their job with ergonomic adjustments to their work conditions. Therefore, interventions aiming to improve the professional future of workers operated on CTS by ensuring sufficient staff and adjusting workplaces are needed.

[Occupational low back pain in Tunisia]. / La lombalgie post-traumatique professionnelle en Tunisie.

BACKGROUND: In Tunisia, eight researches works, dealing with low back trauma (LBT), have been achieved in some occupational sector activities and only 2 of them have been published. AIM: To synthesize data provided by these 8 works realized between 1998 and 2007, in order to estimate the disorder magnitude and to describe LBT victims profile in Tunisia. METHODS: The global population of study is made of 1357 LBT victims (977 belonging to the private sector and 380 to the public sector). The data collection was carried out according to an uniformed model for the 8 studies. RESULTS: In the public sector, Commission Médicale Centrale data show that LBT account for 4 to 5% of occupational accidents (OA) and that their annual incidence is from 32 to 36/100000. In the private sector, Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Maladie data reveal that LBT account for 7.7% to 9.5% of OA. LBT victim is a male (83%), with an age ranging between 36 and 43.5 years, married (84%), educated up to the secondary educational (91%) with a vertebral disorders history (34%). He belongs to the general-purpose workmen category in 1/2 of cases with an average seniority ranging between 7.8 and 16.2 years. LBT almost subjects, get at least of a sick leave. Work days lost is around 210 days for the private sector and 18 days for the public. The per annum amount versed for each LBT case, within the framework of the Total Temporary incapacity, is of 1449.319 DT and 45% of the subjects profit from a professional reclassification. CONCLUSION: Our results join those of international studies having dealt with LBD in professional environment. In spite of some limiting methodological issues, they allowed us to provide to professionals in occupational health useful data for this occupational risk management.