Clinical Results of Carpal Tunnel Release Using Ultrasound Guidance in Over 100 Patients at Two to Six Years.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical results of carpal tunnel release using ultrasound guidance (CTR-US) at a minimum of 2 years postprocedure. Methods: The study consisted of 102 patients (162 hands) treated with CTR-US by the same physician between June 2017 and October 2020 for whom minimum 2-year follow-up data were available. Questionnaires were sent to gather long-term information, with additional phone calls for clarification if needed. Outcomes included Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire symptom severity (BCTQ-SSS) and functional status (BCTQ-FSS) scores; Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) scores; global satisfaction scores; and subsequent surgeries. Results: The 102 patients included 68 females and 34 males with a mean age of 56.9 years at the time of surgery. Fifty-five (53.9%) patients had simultaneous bilateral procedures, 42 (41.2%) had unilateral procedures, and 5 (4.9%) had staged bilateral procedures. Significant improvements in BCTQ-SSS, BCTQ-FSS, and QuickDASH scores persisted at a mean final follow-up of 46 months (range 2-6 years). At final follow-up, 91.2% of patients reported satisfaction with the procedure. No outcomes were significantly different between those treated with simultaneous bilateral versus unilateral procedures. No revision surgeries were reported. Conclusions: CTR-US is a safe and effective procedure that results in significant improvements that persist up to 6 years postprocedure. Long-term results of simultaneous bilateral and unilateral procedures are similar. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.