34 papers, newest 30 shown · updated 2026-09-26 · Hand & Upper Extremity · All topics
The newest papers on carpal tunnel syndrome from the orthopaedic journals The Reduction reads, newest first, each with a one-line summary. The list is drawn from the digest’s archive and refreshed every week.
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Ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release and mini-open release show similar long-term outcomes, though ultrasound reduces early incisional pain.
Neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation was not associated with clinically meaningful delays to carpal tunnel surgery, suggesting equitable access to specialist care and treatment.
Very Early Outcomes in Endoscopic Versus Open Carpal Tunnel Release.
A prospective multicenter study found endoscopic carpal tunnel release led to less pain, better function, and faster return to work at days 3, 7, and 14 compared to open release.
Targeted tenosynovial biopsy during carpal tunnel release doubled detection of transthyretin amyloid deposits versus non-targeted biopsy, though diabetes was linked to lower positivity.
Hand surgeons consistently overestimated how quickly patients recover pain and function after open carpal tunnel release, especially underestimating pain interference and reduced upper-extremity function at 3 months.
In 82 carpal tunnel release patients, patient-reported outcomes improved clinically by 6-9 months and plateaued at 12-14 months, well before nerve conduction studies normalized, arguing against routine postoperative electrodiagnostics.
In 196 wrists evaluated for CTS, wrist-to-forearm ratio added no meaningful diagnostic value beyond median nerve cross-sectional area alone, which itself performed well against clinical diagnosis.
In a cadaveric study, carpal tunnel release via the flexor carpi radialis approach reduced carpal canal pressure as effectively as the standard palmar incision, offering a potential combined-incision option during distal radius fixation.
A case report shows MRI can pinpoint safe landmarks for ultrasound-guided revision carpal tunnel release when scar tissue obscures sonographic anatomy after incomplete open release.
A newly developed weighted screening tool using symptoms like arrhythmia and fatigue can help identify carpal tunnel syndrome patients at high risk for underlying cardiac amyloidosis who may warrant biopsy.
Carpal tunnel release improves symptoms in hemodialysis patients but shows higher persistent CTS rates in those with >10 years on dialysis prior to diagnosis.
Endoscopic Versus Open Carpal Tunnel Release in Obese and Nonobese Patients.
Endoscopic carpal tunnel release reduces wound complications in both obese and nonobese patients with similar revision rates compared to open release.
In 1,082 hands, ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel release gave 3-day return to activity, 90% satisfaction, and a 0.1% reoperation rate at 6 months, confirming strong real-world outcomes.
A multimodal imaging approach to predict carpal tunnel syndrome after distal radius fractures.
Carpal tunnel cross-sectional area combined with volar tilt predicts carpal tunnel syndrome development after distal radius fractures better than either parameter alone.
A large propensity-matched study found concomitant carpal tunnel release during distal radius fixation did not reduce subsequent CTR rates and was associated with higher revision/malunion surgery rates.
At 10+ years after unilateral carpal tunnel release, 40% of patients needed contralateral surgery (median ~11 months), most strongly predicted by preexisting contralateral symptoms—useful for counseling.
Younger patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome show early nerve recovery after release even with absent preoperative potentials, providing prognostic reassurance for surgical candidates.
After carpal tunnel release, PASS and BCTQ MCID show only moderate agreement, suggesting both measures should be used together to capture true patient-perceived surgical success.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Other Predictors of Amyloidosis.
In this large cohort study, heart failure and other comorbidities were identified as key risk factors that could help clinicians decide which carpal tunnel syndrome patients warrant tenosynovial biopsy to screen for amyloidosis.
Amyloidosis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: An Update on Diagnostic and Management Considerations.
Hand surgeons should recognize carpal tunnel syndrome as a possible early marker of cardiac amyloidosis, though screening biopsy thresholds and costs during carpal tunnel release remain undefined.
AI-driven ultrasound pipeline achieved 94% accuracy for carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis, potentially reducing examiner-dependent variability and supporting clinical decision-making.
Postoperative median nerve cross-sectional area changes after carpal tunnel release don't correlate with outcomes, and metabolic syndrome predicts persistent nerve swelling.
In a community hospital cohort, 9.5% of carpal tunnel release patients screened positive for amyloidosis, supporting risk-based intraoperative biopsy criteria even outside academic centers.
AAOS/ASSH evidence-based guideline offers nine recommendations for diagnosing and treating carpal tunnel syndrome in adults, while identifying gaps for future research.
Use of nerve conduction studies in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Nerve conduction studies quantify median nerve demyelination and axonal loss, predict surgical outcomes, and monitor treatment response in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Sonography-Guided Carpal Tunnel Release.
This article describes an ultrasound-guided, ultra-minimally invasive carpal tunnel release technique and reports the author's experience and results from the first 150 cases compared with other sonography-guided methods.
Sonographic Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Ultrasound effectively diagnoses carpal tunnel syndrome preoperatively by measuring nerve cross-sectional area and postoperatively visualizes anatomy and identifies persistent strictures or complications.
Percutaneous ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel and trigger finger release may reduce tendon bowstringing, but biomechanical comparison with open surgery remains limited.
This review argues that impaired interfascicular nerve gliding, linked to reduced nerve elasticity from diabetic biomechanical changes, is central to CTS pathogenesis in diabetics and may explain incomplete symptom relief after carpal tunnel release.
Applying Evidence to Inform Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Care.
Discusses evidence-based approaches to diagnosing, treating, and avoiding complications in carpal tunnel syndrome management.
A validated carpal tunnel symptom-severity and functional-status questionnaire captures clinical improvements not detected by traditional nerve conduction measures.
Endoscopic release of the carpal tunnel: A randomized prospective multicenter study
In this multicenter randomized trial, endoscopic carpal tunnel release let patients return to work about three weeks sooner than open surgery, with comparable complication rates.
Anatomical variations of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel
Classic anatomic study found median nerve course variations in about 12% of 246 explored carpal tunnels, supporting an ulnar-sided surgical approach to avoid nerve injury.
Experimental carpal tunnel compression showed sensory conduction block occurs rapidly at 60-90 mmHg via ischemia, identifying a critical pressure threshold between 30-60 mmHg for nerve injury.
Dupuytren's disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and diabetes mellitus
Reviews the well-established link between diabetes and hand conditions like Dupuytren's, carpal tunnel syndrome, and trigger finger.
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