Authors (including presenting author) :
Tse CY(1), Fok MWM(2),Chow CP(3)(4), Kwong A(5),Wan J(5), Leung HB(6),Chan KC(1), Li CK(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Queen Mary Hospital,(2) Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology,Queen Mary Hospital,(3) Specialist in Rehabilitation, Hong Kong Sanatorium Hospital, (4)Department of Orthopaedic and Traumatology, Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital(5)Department of family medicine and primary care of HKWC, (6)private practice
Introduction :
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the commonest nerve entrapment disease. Nerve conduction study (NCS) can objectively assess the physiological function of the median nerve and define the severity of nerve lesion. It may help to guide for a treatment plan based on the defined severity. This study aims to illustrate the efficacy of wrist splinting treatment in different electrophysiological severity stages of CTS. The finding helps to explore the value of NCS in guiding treatment and develop standard protocol for treating CTS.
Objectives :
This study aims to compare the splinting outcome in different electrophysiological severities of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), using a self-administrated questionnaire.
Methodology :
In this study, 117 subjects with clinical diagnosed CTS were classified into four severity stages of CTS by NCS (mild, moderate, severe CTS and normal). They completed a self-administrated questionnaire covering the hand symptom and function rating prior to splinting treatment. After 3-month splinting, they filled the same questionnaire again for outcome evaluation. The success and fail rates of splinting treatment defined by the score change were compared between four groups by Chi-square test.
Result & Outcome :
The result showed no significant association between the successfulness of splinting treatment and the electrophysiological severity of CTS. Therefore, wrist splint is appropriate to be prescribed initially for clinically diagnosed CTS. NCS is recommended for all suspected CTS before specialty follow up, in order to provide objective reference on the severity of nerve lesion and prevent misleading by the exaggerated or desensitized symptom from subjective feedback.
