Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Highlights

Highlights

Treatment News

• In recent years, a less invasive procedure called the "mini open" approach has been used to surgically treat carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). A recent study published in the Journal of Hand Surgery found that patients who have this type of surgery recover faster than those who have traditional "open release" surgery.
• Endoscopy is also less invasive than open release surgery. However, researchers reporting in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that patients who have endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery have a greated risk of reversible nerve injury than those who have open carpal tunnel release.
• Several new studies have evaluated the benefits of steroid injections and have found they work as well as, if not better, than other treatment approaches.

Diagnosis

• Increasing evidence supports the accuracy of ultrasound for the diagnosis and assessment of CTS. A 2005 study found that high-resolution ultrasound may help estimate symptom severity and nerve damage.
• Portable electronic devices that measure the activity of nerves may be useful in some cases, but in general, they remain experimental. The Advancing Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine says they are not effective substitutes for a standard electromyelograms.

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Risk factors

• Recent data continue to support the link between CTS, diabetes, and obesity.
• A 2005 study reported that an estimated 85% of patients with type 1 diabetes develop CTS.
• Weight appears to be strongly linked to the onset of CTS, although it may be a less important factor with increasing age.