Relative Motion of the Connective Tissue in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: The Relation with Disease Severity and Clinical Outcome.

Excursion of the median nerve and the surrounding subsynovial connective tissue (SSCT) is diminished in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This study sought to determine if SSCT excursion could be utilized to predict surgical outcome. Idiopathic CTS patients were reviewed with ultrasound and electrodiagnostic tests at baseline.

Median Nerve Transverse Mobility and Outcome after Carpal Tunnel Release.

Nerve movement is decreased in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and can be assessed with ultrasound. In addition to morphologic features, this study describes a novel approach in which nerve movement and the association with short-term patient-reported outcome are assessed. Ultrasound images at the carpal tunnel inlet were acquired during finger and wrist flexion.

Reliability of ultrasound speckle tracking with singular value decomposition for quantifying displacement in the carpal tunnel.

Inhibited movement patterns of carpal tunnel structures have been found in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients. Motion analysis on ultrasound images allows us to non-invasively study the (relative) movement of carpal tunnel structures and recently a speckle tracking method using singular value decomposition (SVD) has been proposed to optimize this tracking. This study aims to assess the reliability of longitudinal speckle tracking with SVD in both healthy volunteers and patients with CTS.

Speckle Tracking of Tendon Displacement in the Carpal Tunnel: Improved Quantification Using Singular Value Decomposition.

Ultrasound is a real-time image modality enabling the analysis of tendon dynamics for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. Automatic tendon displacement quantification algorithms based on speckle tracking generally suffer from underestimation due to stationary background present in the tendon region. We propose an improved quantification method using singular value decomposition (SVD) filtering to suppress the clutter.

Hand Surgeons Performing More Open Carpal Tunnel Releases Do Not Show Better Patient Outcomes.

Background: Although previous studies have shown that more experienced surgeons have better patient outcomes following a variety of procedures, in hand surgery and carpal tunnel release in particular, this relation remains unproven. The authors assessed whether there is an association between surgeon volume and patient outcomes following open carpal tunnel release.

Methods: Patients who underwent carpal tunnel release between 2011 and 2015 at outpatient hand surgery clinics in The Netherlands were included.

Influence of Injection Volume on Rate of Subsequent Intervention in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Over 1-Year Follow-Up.

Purpose: The optimal volume and dose of corticosteroid injections for treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) have not yet been established. It is unknown whether the volume of injectate influences the outcome of carpal tunnel injection. The purpose of this study was to assess whether there is an association between the volume of injectate and subsequent intervention in the treatment of CTS.

Corticosteroid Injections for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Long-Term Follow-Up in a Population-Based Cohort.

Background: Corticosteroid injection is a recommended treatment option for carpal tunnel syndrome, before considering surgery. Nevertheless, injections remain controversial because there is strong evidence of only short-term benefits. This study aimed to determine the reintervention rate and to identify prognostic indicators for subsequent treatment after corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Ultrasound-guided hydrodissection decreases gliding resistance of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess alterations in median nerve (MN) biomechanics within the carpal tunnel resulting from ultrasound-guided hydrodissection in a cadaveric model.

Methods: Twelve fresh frozen human cadaver hands were used. MN gliding resistance was measured at baseline and posthydrodissection, by pulling the nerve proximally and then returning it to the origin.

Effectiveness of Ultrasound-Guided Compared to Blind Steroid Injections in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided injections to blind injections in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a large community-based cohort.

Methods: This study evaluated residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, treated with a corticosteroid injection for CTS between 2001 and 2010. The proportion of patients receiving retreatment and the duration of retreatment-free survival between blind and ultrasound-guided injections were compared.

3D Volumetric Measurement of Neurofibromatosis Type 2-Associated Meningiomas: Association Between Tumor Location and Growth Rate.

Objective: Treatment of meningiomas in neurofibromatosis type II (NF2) patients is challenging because the natural history of these tumors is unclear. More insight in tumor growth and factors predicting growth may contribute to a better clinical management. In this study, growth characteristics of supratentorial NF-related meningiomas were examined and the association between tumor growth rate and location was evaluated.

Altered blood rheology in obstructive sleep apnea as a mediator of cardiovascular risk.

Background: Cardiovascular complications are common in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Blood rheology is a major determent of coagulation and an established risk factor for cardiovascular events. Since nocturnal hypoxemia could influence parameters of blood rheology, we hypothesized that OSA alters blood rheology independent of other cardiovascular risk factors.