Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy, caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel at the wrist, leading to hand tingling, numbness, pain, and weakness. It is often related to repetitive hand use, pregnancy, diabetes, or inflammatory arthritis, and is a significant cause of work disability.
What's actually going on in research
Carpal tunnel release surgery reliably relieves symptoms in moderate-to-severe CTS, while splinting and corticosteroid injections are standard for milder cases. Trials are refining the comparison between open and endoscopic surgical approaches, studying whether ultrasound-guided procedures and injectable therapies such as corticosteroids or platelet-rich plasma can delay or replace surgery, and examining whether early intervention prevents the nerve damage that leads to permanent weakness.
Minimally invasive surgery
Endoscopic carpal tunnel release is being compared to traditional open surgery in trials examining recovery speed, complication rates, and long-term symptom relief across different patient populations.
Ultrasound-guided injection
Ultrasound-guided corticosteroid and platelet-rich plasma injections are in trials evaluating whether image-guided delivery improves accuracy and duration of response compared to landmark-guided injection.
Non-surgical early treatment
Trials are studying whether early aggressive splinting, activity modification, and injection therapy can prevent progression to the nerve damage that makes surgery necessary in more advanced cases.
What to know before you search
Eligibility depends on symptom severity, nerve conduction study findings, prior treatments, and occupational or pregnancy-related contributing factors.
What types of trials are currently open
- Surgical comparison trials — Comparing open versus endoscopic carpal tunnel release for symptom relief and recovery outcomes.
- Injection therapy trials — Evaluating corticosteroid, platelet-rich plasma, and hyaluronic acid injections with or without ultrasound guidance.
- Splinting and therapy trials — Testing splint designs, wearing schedules, and hand therapy programs to relieve mild-to-moderate CTS.
- Prevention trials — Studying ergonomic and occupational interventions to reduce CTS incidence in high-risk workers.
- Biomarker trials — Identifying nerve conduction and ultrasound measures that predict which patients will progress or respond to treatment.
Recently added Carpal Tunnel Syndrome trials
Comparative Efficacy of Neuromobilization, Tendon Gliding Exercises, and Combined Techniques in Mild to Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
focuses on the comparative efficacy of Neuromobilization techniques, tendon gliding exercises, and their combined application in the management of mild to moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome through a randomized controlled trial (RCT)
Concordance for Transthyretin Amyloidosis Between Synovial Biopsy and Anterior Carpal Ligament Biopsy
Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is an underdiagnosed condition that can present early as carpal tunnel syndrome, sometimes preceding cardiac involvement by several years. The recent emergence of new treatments underscores the importance of early diagnosis. Synovial biopsy performed during open carpal tunnel surgery is considered the gold standard for local screening, but it is less accessible, more difficult, and riskier to perform via endoscopy-a minimally invasive surgical technique that is currently the standard at our center and is becoming increasingly widespread. The anterior annular ligament of the carpus constitutes an alternative tissue to the synovium, easily accessible via endoscopy, safe, and standardizable. In this study, the systematic performance of an annular ligament biopsy in conjunction with a synovial biopsy during endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery would allow for the evaluation of the diagnostic concordance of the ligament biopsy by comparing it to the results obtained using the gold standard method. This strategy would also provide an opportunity to analyze the feasibility of systematic screening for ATTR on the ligament during endoscopic procedures. This approach could offer a practical and innovative method for the early identification of at-risk patients and facilitate appropriate and timely management of the condition.
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