Multicenter pragmatic study of carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance

ABSTRACT

Objectives

To report outcomes of patients who underwent carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance (CTR-US) in routine clinical practice.

Methods

This was a multicenter post-market registry of patients treated with CTR-US. Main outcomes included the Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (QDASH), Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire Symptom Severity Scale (BCTQ-SSS) and Functional Status Scale (BCTQ-FSS), return to normal activities, return to work, and complications.

Results

Of 535 patients who provided follow-up data, 373 (70%) were followed for 6 months post-treatment. Among these 373 patients (427 hands, mean age 55 years, 71% female), QDASH scores decreased by 30.8 points, BCTQ-SSS scores decreased by 1.6 points, and BCTQ-FSS scores decreased by 1.0 points at 6 months (all p < 0.001). The median time to return to normal activities was 3 days and time to return to work was 5 days. Subgroup analysis revealed consistent outcomes regardless of age group, sex, body mass index, diabetes, tobacco use, worker compensation status, or procedure type (unilateral/bilateral simultaneous). No major neurovascular complications were reported.

Conclusion

Patients treated with CTR-US reported clinically meaningful improvements in symptoms and function, rapid return to normal activities, and minimal work absenteeism, with an excellent safety profile.

KEYWORDS:

• Carpal tunnel release
• minimally invasive
• return to work
• UltraGuideCTR
• ultrasound-guided

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Declaration of interest

J Fowler reports consulting fees from Integra Life Sciences unrelated to the current study, and serves as a non-compensated advisor to Sonex Health. L Miller received financial support from Sonex Health. K Chung reports funding from Sonex Health related to the current study, and funding from the National Institutes of Health and book royalties from Wolters Kluwer and Elsevier unrelated to the current study. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

Conception and design: J Fowler, K Chung

Data analysis: L Miller

Data interpretation: J Fowler, K Chung, L Miller

Drafting of the paper: J Fowler, L Miller

Critical review and revision the paper: J Fowler, K Chung, L Miller

Final approval of the version to be published: J Fowler, K Chung, L Miller

Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work: J Fowler, K Chung, L Miller

Data Availability Statement

Raw data will not be made available since this is an ongoing registry.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Sonex Health, Inc. (Eagan, MN, United States).