Are there any benefits for post-operative splinting after carpal tunnel release? A systematic review and meta-analysis

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.

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.

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)].

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.