1. Are there any benefits for post-operative splinting after carpal tunnel release? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Author
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Peter-Okaka UI, Shiri S, Owodunni O, Bagheri SR, Jalilian A, Uzoukwu C, Eden S, and Alimohammadi E
- Subjects
- Humans, Hand Strength, Postoperative Care methods, Treatment Outcome, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome surgery, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome physiopathology, Splints
- Abstract
Background: There is a controversy on the effectiveness of post-operating splinting in patients with carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery. This study aimed to systematically evaluate various outcomes regarding the effectiveness of post-operating splinting in CTR surgery., Methods: Multiple databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane, were searched for terms related to carpal tunnel syndrome. A total of eight studies involving 596 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The quality of studies was evaluated, and their risk of bias was calculated using the methodological index for non-randomized studies (MINORS) and Cochrane's collaboration tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized controlled trials. Data including the visual analogue scale (VAS), pinch strength, grip strength, two-point discrimination, symptom severity score (SSS), and functional status scale (FSS) were extracted., Results: Our analysis showed no significant differences between the splinted and non-splinted groups based on the VAS, SSS, FSS, grip strength, pinch strength, and two-point discrimination. The calculated values of the standardized mean difference (SMD) or the weighted mean difference (WMD) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) for different variables were as follows: VAS [SMD = 0.004, 95% CI (-0.214, 0.222)], pinch strength [WMD = 1.061, 95% CI (-0.559, 2.681)], grip strength [SMD = 0.178, 95% CI (-0.014, 0.369)], SSS [WMD = 0.026, 95% CI (- 0.191, 0.242)], FSS [SMD = 0.089, 95% CI (-0.092, 0.269)], and the two-point discrimination [SMD = 0.557, 95% CI (-0.140, 1.253)]., Conclusions: Our findings revealed no statistically significant differences between the splinted and non-splinted groups in terms of the VAS, SSS, FSS, grip strength, pinch strength, and two-point discrimination. These results indicate that there is no substantial evidence supporting a significant advantage of post-operative splinting after CTR., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2024
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