Abstract

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a prevalent peripheral neuropathy characterized by wrist discomfort, weakness, and numbness. Repetitive hand motions and underlying medical conditions that impair nerve function are among the etiology. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections have shown promise in relieving functional abilities and symptoms, but there are still discrepancies in their effectiveness across the varying CTS severities. This retrospective singlecentre study aims to compare the efficacy of the PRP injections against conservative nocturnal splinting, specifically in hopes of preventing or delaying the need for Open Carpal Tunnel Release Surgery (OCTR) and improving symptom severity across each CTS severity (mild, moderate, and severe). With the help of Electromyography (EMG) readings, patients diagnosed with CTS were categorized into mild, moderate and severe and then further subdivided into the treatment they received: nocturnal splinting or PRP. A Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) was used to assess patient symptom severity and functional status, and patient charts were read to confirm those who underwent the OCTR surgeries. According to BCTQs, PRP did not differ from the conservative treatment cohort in improving symptom severity and well-being in either of the severity groups. Lower rates of OCTR surgery were observed in the PRP severe groups in comparison to nocturnal splinting; however, mild and moderate PRP severity groups had increased rates of OCTR when compared to conservative nocturnal splinting. These findings, however, are not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Clinicians should consider CTS severities when selecting treatment options as well as acknowledge the limitations and statistical significance of this retrospective study. Further randomized controlled studies with larger cohort sizes are needed to confirm these findings.