Clinical Evolution in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treated with Ultrasound or Corticosteroid Infiltration

Abstract

Introduction. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common compressive peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremity, which is caused by compression of the median nerve. Mild and moderate cases can be treated with conservative methods such as therapeutic ultrasound or corticosteroid infiltration. Objective. To describe the clinical evolution of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome treated with ultrasound therapy and corticosteroid infiltration. Methodology. A prospective open clinical trial was conducted in patients with mild and moderate carpal tunnel syndrome who consulted from October 1, 2021 to May 30, 2022. Two groups were formed: the group that received ultrasound treatment with 12 cases and the group treated with corticosteroid infiltration with six cases. Both groups were treated at the initial consultation and then at four and eight weeks after the start of treatment. Results. The descriptive results related to the intensity of pain, evaluated with the Visual Numeric Scale, are shown. Infiltration obtained two cases without pain and four with moderate pain, contrary to ultrasound which was maintained with four mild, three moderate and five intense cases. In symptoms, infiltration reduced the number of cases in four of the symptoms studied, while ultrasound reduced the number of cases in only two. In severity, assessed with the Boston carpal tunnel questionnaire, with infiltration, there were two asymptomatic cases and none with ultrasound. Regarding clinical signs, Tinel’s sign disappeared in four cases in both groups, while Phalen’s sign disappeared in four cases in ultrasound and two in infiltration. Conclusion. Infiltration produced asymptomatic patients and reduced more symptoms than ultrasonography in terms of pain intensity and severity. Clinical symptoms were less common with both treatments.