Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 29, 2026

Metacarpal Small Incision for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Published on: April 5, 2024
Topical anaesthesia to reduce pain associated with carpal tunnel surgery
1Department of Orthopaedics, Kings Mill Hospital, Sherwood Forrest Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottinghamshire, UK. tomlawrence75@hotmail.com
Abstract:
This randomized, double-blinded study assessed the effectiveness of a topical anaesthetic, eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA), in reducing pain associated with carpal tunnel release performed under local anaesthetic. Fifty-six patients undergoing carpal tunnel release under local anaesthetic were randomized into either EMLA (n = 29) or placebo (n = 27) groups. Visual analogue pain scores were obtained for needle insertion, injection of anaesthetic and surgery itself. Pain scores were significantly less for needle insertion (P = 0.001) and injection of anaesthetic (P = 0.0005). Scores related to surgery were also lower in the EMLA group, but this did not reach statistical significance.
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