An Early Phase 1 interventional study of Fat Injection and Steroid Injection in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, sponsored by Columbia University. Suspended at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-02.
Sponsored by Columbia University · Early Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment
This study applies the regenerative properties of autologous fat transfer to treat mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome in comparison to the current standard of care, corticosteroid treatment. The investigators hypothesize the fat transfer would prevent scar formation and aid in nerve excursion along the canal (while the neoangiogenic and regenerative growth factors could stimulate nerve regeneration) better than the standard of care treatment.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy affecting up to 13% of Americans; CTS is caused by compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel leading to nerve ischemia and symptoms of numbness, pain, and tingling. Treatment options depend on the severity of symptoms and range from noninvasive options (most commonly, steroid injections) to definitive surgical release of the compressed median nerve. Both non-invasive techniques and surgical intervention have their shortcomings; thus a novel approach for CTS treatment may be indicated.
Lipografting is an established, validated, and widely used technique of plastic surgeons that injects autologous fat to correct contour deformities. From observing these reconstructions, plastic surgeons have witnessed the regenerative properties of fat transfer, specifically delaying the affects of chronic radio-dermatitis. These clinical manifestations have fostered numerous studies defining fat as a rich source of pluripotent stem cells with the potential for reducing scar formation, bringing neo-angiogenesis, and providing a barrier against scar adhesions This study applies the regenerative properties of autologous fat transfer to treat mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome in comparison to the current standard of care, corticosteroid treatment. Ideally, the fat transfer would prevent scar formation and aid in nerve excursion along the canal, while the neoangiogenic and regenerative growth factors could stimulate nerve regeneration.
587 studies on the registry are indexed under Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; 134 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 100 is above the median of 60 across 443 interventional studies indexed under Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Browse Carpal Tunnel Syndrome studies →Columbia University is the lead sponsor of 1,136 studies on the registry; 195 are open to participants now.
Of its 180 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 148 (82%) have results posted.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Subjects with CTS will receive steroid injection.
Drug: Steroid Injection
Subjects with CTS will receive fat injection.
Other: Fat Injection
Used by plastic surgeons, lipografting injects autologous fat to correct contour deformities. Plastic surgeons have witnessed the regenerative properties of fat transfer, and these clinical manifestations have fostered numerous studies defining fat as a rich source of pluripotent stem cells with the potential for reducing scar formation, bringing neo-angiogenesis, and providing a barrier against scar adhesions. This study applies the regenerative properties of autologous fat transfer to treat mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome in comparison to the current standard of care, corticosteroid treatment. Ideally, fat transfer would prevent scar formation and aid in nerve excursion along the canal, while the neoangiogenic and regenerative growth factors stimulate nerve regeneration.
Also known as: Fat Transfer
Standard of care non-operative treatment for the treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Also known as: Cortisone Injection
Functional Outcome Score
This score will be determined by Quick-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH), which is a validated tool/survey for measuring upper extremity disability. The QuickDASH is scored in two components: the disability/symptom section (11 items, scored 1-5) and the optional high performance sport/music or work modules (4 items, scored 1-5). These raw scores are used to calculate a score out of 100, with a higher score indicating greater disability.
Time frame: Up to 1 year post-treatment
Score on the Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ)
The MHQ is hand-specific outcomes instrument that measures outcomes of patients with conditions of, or injury to, the hand or wrist. In the pain scale, high scores indicate greater pain, while in the other five scales, high scores denote better hand performance.
Time frame: Up to 1 year post-treatment
Score on the Brigham Women's Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire
Brigham Women's Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire is a validated tool for measuring severity of symptoms for carpal tunnel syndrome. The questionnaire is self-administered, with each item scored from 1 to 5 (where 1 indicates no symptoms or no functional difficulty, and 5 indicates maximum symptoms or an inability to perform the functional task).
Time frame: Up to 1 year post-treatment
Plan to share: No
Started Dec 2016 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2027, 132 months after the start.
Since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026, the dates moved once, on Oct 2, 2026: primary completion Dec 2026 → Dec 2027 and completion Dec 2026 → Dec 2027.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is suspended, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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