Splinting after Carpal Tunnel Release: Does it really Matter?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Hand Surgery
• Neurosurgery

Background:

• Wrist splinting post-carpal tunnel release (CTR) is common, aiming to prevent complications like tendon bowstringing and nerve entrapment.
• Previous studies on splinting after standard CTR have yielded inconsistent or poor results regarding optimal duration.
• The necessity and efficacy of post-operative wrist splinting following CTR remain debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes of one-week wrist splinting versus no splinting after limited open carpal tunnel release.
• To evaluate the impact of post-operative splinting on patient recovery and functional measures.

Main Methods:

• Thirty patients underwent standardized limited open CTR and were randomized into splinted (n=16) and non-splinted (n=14) groups.
• The splinted group wore a wrist splint for one week post-surgery.
• Outcome measures included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), two-point discrimination (2PD), grip and pinch strength, Abductor Pollicis Brevis (APB) power, and the Boston questionnaire, assessed at one week, two months, and six months.

Main Results:

• Both groups demonstrated significant improvement in all assessed parameters post-operatively.
• No statistically significant differences were observed between the splinted and non-splinted groups for any outcome measure at any follow-up point.

Conclusions:

• Immediate post-operative wrist splinting offers no discernible advantage over not using a splint after limited open carpal tunnel release.
• These findings suggest that routine wrist splinting may not be necessary following this specific type of CTR procedure.