Needle vs. knife: new study tests injection as carpal tunnel alternative
NCT ID NCT07576803
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares a minimally invasive ultrasound-guided injection to standard open surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. 72 adults who have not improved with conservative treatments will be randomly assigned to receive either the injection or surgery. The main goal is to see if the injection is as good as surgery at relieving symptoms after 3 months, with potential benefits like faster recovery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- saline and dextrose solution with local anesthetic and betamethasone
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a less invasive alternative to surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, with faster recovery and fewer complications.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-stage trial with only 72 participants, and the injection may not be as effective as surgery in the long run. There is also a risk of nerve damage or infection from the injection.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 72 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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May 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 years or olde * Clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome * Presence of symptoms for at least 3 months * Failure of conservative treatment, including splinting, medication, or physical therapy * Ability to provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Previous carpal tunnel surgery in the affected limb * Severe thenar muscle atrophy * Cervical radiculopathy or proximal nerve compression * Pregnancy * Coagulopathy or current use of anticoagulants contraindicating procedures * Local infection at the intervention site * Inability to comply with follow-up
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Recife, Pernambuco, 50.670-901, Brazil
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