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Home therapy after endoscopic carpal tunnel release may not improve outcomes
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LAS VEGAS — Results presented at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting showed no differences in improvements of outcomes among patients who did and those who did not receive home therapy after endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
William Rodriguez, BS, and colleagues randomly assigned 105 patients undergoing endoscopic carpal tunnel release to receive either home therapy (n=50) or no therapy (n=55) postoperatively.
“Group 1, the no therapy cohort, was instructed to maintain a 5-pound weight restriction and otherwise perform activities per their tolerance,” Rodriguez said in his presentation here. “Group 2, the home therapy group, was provided with detailed instructions regarding blocking and tendon gliding exercises to be performed three times daily in addition to maintaining a 5-pound weight restriction and otherwise perform activities to their tolerance.”
Investigators collected Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaires, QuickDASH scores, grip strength, chuck strength, key strength, numerical pain rating scale score, hand circumference and static two-point discrimination preoperatively and at 2, 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively.
“QuickDASH, as well as both the functional status scale and symptom severity scale proponents of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, improved over time in both treatment groups,” Rodriguez said.
He added the two groups had no significant differences with regard to grip strength, chuck strength, key strength, numerical pain grading scale scores, hand circumference and static two-point discrimination. Patient groups also had no significant difference in the average number of days required for return to work, according to Rodriguez. – by Casey Tingle
Reference:
Matullo K, et al. Abstract 11. Presented at: American Society for Surgery of the Hand Annual Meeting; Sept. 5-7, 2019; Las Vegas.
Disclosure: Rodriguez reports no relevant financial disclosures.