B-ultrasound-guided Bending Needle and Thread Loop Carpal Tunnel Ligament Release in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome :Efficacy and Safety of a Single-Center, Single-Arm Clinical Trial
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a set of symptoms and signs caused by compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel. The prevalence in the general population is about 3.72%, with a rising trend, making it the most common peripheral nerve entrapment syndrome. Compared to conservative treatment, surgical treatment has definite efficacy and lower recurrence rates, making it the ultimate choice for relieving median nerve compression. However, open surgery has disadvantages such as large trauma, long postoperative recovery period, and scar formation, while wrist arthroscopic surgery, although minimally invasive, is technically challenging, requires expensive specialized equipment, and has low cost-effectiveness, limiting its clinical application. Therefore, based on clinical and life experience, our team innovatively developed the Ultrasound-guided Needle Release of the Transverse Carpal Ligament. This technique avoids the risks of large trauma and scar formation associated with traditional open surgery, significantly shortens surgical and postoperative recovery times, and is more minimally invasive and cost-effective compared to wrist arthroscopic surgery, thus having high clinical value for promotion. This study aims to validate the effectiveness and safety of this innovative procedure through a single-arm interventional clinical study, providing a theoretical basis for further clinical application.
• Aged between 40 and 70 years;
• Exhibiting symptoms consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome (e.g., finger numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain; symptoms aggravated by repetitive or sustained gripping; symptoms worsening at night) and signs (sensory impairment or weakness in the hand; positive Tinel's sign or Phalen's test for the median nerve);
• Meeting the diagnostic criteria for typical or possible carpal tunnel syndrome based on the Katz hand diagram for carpal tunnel syndrome \[14\];
• Ultrasound indicating thickening of the transverse carpal ligament, compressing the median nerve;
• Ineffective conservative treatment (e.g., immobilization, oral NSAIDs, local corticosteroid injections) for more than 3 months;
• Signing the informed consent form.