Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bursa Military Hospital, Bursa, Turkey | [b] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Çorlu Military Hospital, Tekirdağ, Turkey | [c] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mevki Military Hospital, Ankara, Turkey | [d] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haydarpaşa Training Hospital, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, İstanbul, Turkey | [e] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medicalpark Bahçelievler Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Taner Dandinoğlu, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bursa Military Hospital, Bursa, Turkey. Tel.: +90 533 691 40 66; E-mail:dandinoglu@gmail.com
Abstract: BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
neuropathic symptoms after local steroid injection in CTS. Since 2001,
neuropathic pain scales have been used in the assessment and follow-up of
neuropathic pain. DN4 and LANSS pain questionnaires have been applied to
groups, mostly consisted of radiculopathy and polyneuropathy cases, before
and after various treatments and the results have been compared with the
electrophysiologic findings. However to our knowledge there is yet no such
study focusing on neuropathic complaints and the relationship between
neuropathic pain and electrophysiological findings before and after local
corticosteroid injection. METHODS: Forty-one patients aged 22-65 years and diagnosed with
carpal tunnel syndrome by nerve conduction studies who were also found to
have neuropathic symptoms were included in the study. All patients
received local steroid injection into the carpal tunnel while the
questionnaires and nerve conduction studies were performed before and 2
months after the injection. RESULTS: Local steroid injection was found effective on clinical
and electrophysiologic parameters as well as on DN4 and LANSS scores in CTS
patients (p< 0.05). Electrophysiologic severity exhibited no statistically
significant relationship with DN4 and LANSS scores, before and after
treatment (p> 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggests that the treatment of
neuropathic complaints should be planned independently from the
electrophysiologic findings and minimally invasive local steroid injection
appears to be effective with regard to clinical and electrophysiologic
aspects in CTS patients with neuropathic complaints.
