Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- pain and paresthesia in the median nerve distribution
- positive Tinel sign,
- positive Phalen sign,
- symptoms had to have persisted for at least 6 months
- deficits of sensory and motor median nerve conduction according to guidelines of the American Association of Electrodiagnosis, American Academy of Neurology, and the American Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Academy
Exclusion Criteria:
- any sensory/motor deficit related to the ulnar or radial nerve;
- older than 65 years of age;
- previous surgical intervention, steroid injections or physical therapy intervention
- multiple diagnoses of the upper extremity (eg, cervical radiculopathy);
- history of neck, shoulder, or upper limb trauma (whiplash);
- history of any systemic disease causing CTS (eg, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease);
- history of other systemic conditions (eg, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia);
- pregnancy;
Sites / Locations
- César Fernández-de-las-Peñas
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
Surgery
The experimental group will receive 3 sessions (once per week) of ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation targeted the median nerve. Once the median nerve is ultrasound identified, the needles will be left in situ at the identified points connected to an electrostimulator (ES-160 ITO co.) applying a biphasic continuous waveform, at low frequency (2 Hz)19 and with 250 microseconds pulse duration for 30mins.
The surgical group will receive a surgical procedure consisting of the decompression and release of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel performed by an experienced surgeon according to standardized protocols.