CONSERVATIVE MANAGEMENT OF CARPAL-TUNNEL SYNDROME - A REEXAMINATION OF STEROID INJECTION AND SPLINTING

The awareness of carpal tunnel syndrome by the lay public has increase d dramatically in recent years, with an apparent shift in patient-popu lation presentation. We prospectively studied steroid injection and wr ist splinting in 76 hands in 57 patients, presenting without advanced disease or associated medical conditions, by standard evaluation and p rotocol of treatment. The average age of the patients was 38 years; 50 women and 7 men were included. Followup examination after simultaneou s steroid injection and splinting averaged 11 months. Ten hands were n oted to be symptom-free at the final evaluation. Women were noted to h ave a significant decrease in the rate of symptom resolution when comp ared to men. Patients, 40 years of age or younger, were also noted to have a significant decrease in the rate of symptom resolution when com pared to patients over 40 years of age. No significant differences wer e noted when comparing symptom duration prior to treatment or workers' compensation insurance status to final symptom resolution. Young wome n are the least likely to have resolution of carpal tunnel syndrome sy mptoms when treated conservatively.