Inclusion | Exclusion | |
---|---|---|
Symptoms in at least two digits on one hand (to include thumb, index, middle, or ring finger.) | Wrist or hand surgery within last 6 months | |
Hand/ wrist symptoms >1 week | Previous CTS release on study hand | |
Expect to stay in area for 1 year. | Moderate to severe arthritis involving hand or wrist | |
Willing and able to complete phone interviews | Known tumor, mass, or deformity in the hand or wrist | |
Over age 18 | History of severe trauma to the wrist. | |
Able to complete questionnaires in English | Pregnant or lactating | |
Any one of these EDS findings | Motor: Median motor latency (wrist) > = 4.4 ms | Median Motor amplitude <= 3.8 mV |
 | Sensory: median-radial (10 cm thumb to wrist) difference >0.5 ms | EMG (if done) evidence of denervation |
 | Sensory: Midpalm median-ulnar (8 cm) difference >0.3 ms | Evidence of diffuse peripheral neuropathy. |
 | Sensory: Median-ulnar (14 cm digit IV to wrist) difference >0.4 ms | Thenar atrophy |
 | Sensory: Combined Sensory index > = 1.0 ms |  |
 | (With normal EDS) Night pain that wakes patient AND Positive flick test |  |
Classic, probable, or possible hand pain diagram. | Â | |
Two consecutive weeks of standard (non-surgical) treatment for CTS, including a trial of wrist splints. | Â | |
Lack of improvement with conservative treatment documented by at least one of the following: | Improvement less than 0.75 in the CTSAQ functional? | Â |
 | Unable to achieve "satisfactory" level of work |  |
 | Patient defined symptoms as being "same" or "worse" over the last two weeks. |  |
Willing to schedule surgery within one week of randomization. | Â |