JLUMHS (Nov 2023)
The Efficacy of Single Dose Local Steroid Injection versus Standard Carpal Tunnel Release in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Population of D.I. Khan Division, Pakistan
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a single dose local steroid injection versus standard carpal tunnel release in treating carpal tunnel syndrome in district DI Khan, Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Orthopaedics Gomal Medical College DI Khan, Pakistan, from November 2021 to October 2022. Seventy-four patients with a substantiated diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome were randomly selected by lottery method into two groups, i.e. Surgical treatment (control) and medical treatment by Steroid injection (Experimental). Clinical assessments for pain (visual analog score) and numbness (Michael-Griffin figure) were done at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. Gender, age, pain and numbness were demographic variables, while pain and numbness at 3, 6 and 12 months were research variables. Gender is nominal, while other variables were measured on a ratio scale. Data for a sample was described by count & percentage with 95% Confidence interval. Statistical analysis was done by independent sample t-test for comparing the mean of 2 variables, and a p-value of < 0.05 was acknowledged as statistically significant. RESULTS: Mean numbness & mean pain scores were different in the control vs. experimental group three months after treatment; results were statistically significant (p-value<0.05) and similar at 6 & 12 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Single-dose steroid injection retrieved similar results as carpal tunnel release operation in the short term of one year. So, steroid injection is a good treatment option before surgical decompression for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.
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