An interventional study of Local infiltration anaesthesia in carpal tunnel release and Distal median nerve block with local infiltration anaesthesia in carpal tunnel release in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, sponsored by Kuopio University Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in Finland. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-09-19.
Sponsored by Kuopio University Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most commonly appearing entrapment neuropathy of the upper extremity. Treatment options include both non-operative and operative methods. Surgical treatment, carpal tunnel release (CTR), involves division of the transverse carpal ligament. Surgery can be performed under axillary or intravenous block, or general anaesthesia. There are no prior randomised controlled trials (RCT) comparing local infiltration anaesthesia to local infiltration anaesthesia augmented with a distal median nerve block in CTR.
The aim of this trial is to investigate whether adding a distal median nerve block to local anaesthesia reduces the patient's perceived pain level for up to 72 hours after CTR, compared to using only local anaesthesia, i.e., an anaesthesia mixture injected solely in and around the planned incision and nerve release. The null hypothesis is that the use of distal median nerve block with local anaesthesia does not reduce pain after CTR compared to pure local anaesthesia.
PERSONNEL (carPal tunnEl ReleaSe lOcal iNfiltratioN mEdian bLockade) is a double-blinded, i.e., patient and investigators, RCT in patients with CTS. Patients will be randomly divided into two parallel trial groups, 1:1 in size to each other. Fifty-nine patients will be needed for each group to have adequate power. The primary outcome is the pain level perceived by the patient after the procedure during the first 72 hours using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes include patient-rated outcome measures, safety, the entire consumption of pain killers after the surgery during the first 72 hours postoperatively, pain of performing the anaesthesia, and pain during and after the operation.
No trial comparing local anaesthesia to local anaesthesia augmented with distal median nerve block has been published before. There is also no trial noting individual tolerance to pain. The quality of the median nerve block at the wrist has been achieved by using sensory or sensory-motor nerve stimulation and has been proven effective. This increases trust in the effectiveness of the treatment method, but it still needs to be adequately proven which is the goal of this trial.
Exclusion Criteria:
The investigators allocate 59 patients in this arm. It serves as the control group, who receives local infiltration anaesthesia.
Procedure: Local infiltration anaesthesia in carpal tunnel release
The investigators allocate 59 patients in this arm. It serves as the experimental group, who receives local infiltration anaesthesia and distal median nerve block.
Procedure: Distal median nerve block with local infiltration anaesthesia in carpal tunnel release
The anaesthetic cocktail consists of 1 ml of (7.5%) sodium bicarbonate (Natriumbicarbonate Braun 75mg/ml), 4,5 ml of lidocaine with adrenaline 1% (Lidocain cum adrenalin 10 mg/ml), 4,5 ml of bupivacaine with adrenaline 0.5% (Marcain cum adrenalin 5mg/ml +5 µg/ml). The anaesthetic cocktail must be prepared in the above-mentioned order to avoid possible precipitation. A 24-gauge hypodermic needle and 10 ml syringe are used to inject the solution. The care provider pinches from the area of median nerve blockade prior to performing local anaesthesia. All the anaesthetic solution is injected locally. Additional anaesthetic solution can be injected locally if necessary.
The anaesthetic cocktail consists of 1 ml of (7.5%) sodium bicarbonate (Natriumbicarbonate Braun 75mg/ml), 4,5 ml of lidocaine with adrenaline 1% (Lidocain cum adrenalin 10 mg/ml), 4,5 ml of bupivacaine with adrenaline 0.5% (Marcain cum adrenalin 5mg/ml +5 µg/ml). The anaesthetic cocktail must be prepared in the above-mentioned order to avoid possible precipitation. A 24-gauge hypodermic needle and 10 ml syringe are used to inject the solution. Half of the anaesthetic solution is injected into the median nerve area 5-7 cm proximally from the distal wrist crease. The other half is injected locally. Additional anaesthetic solution can be injected locally if necessary.
The pain level perceived by the patient after the procedure using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
The investigators measure the pain level perceived by the patient after the procedure every fourth hour while awake until third night postoperatively using VAS. The first assessment is performed four hours after the surgery. The mean VAS is calculated from all time points over the 72-hour period. The Visual analogue Scale for pain is a straight line with one end meaning no pain and the other end meaning the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Postoperatively during the first 72 hours after the operation
Pressure pain (VAS)
The investigators ask the patients to evaluate the pressure pain that the infiltration of the anaesthetic solution caused using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Visual Analogue Scale for pain is a straight line with one end meaning no pain and the other end meaning the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Immediately after the infiltration of anaesthetic solution
Burning pain (VAS)
The investigators ask the patients to evaluate the burning pain that the infiltration of the anaesthetic solution caused using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Visual Analogue Scale for pain is a straight line with one end meaning no pain and the other end meaning the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Immediately after the infiltration of anaesthetic solution
Needle sting pain (VAS)
The investigators ask the patients to evaluate the needle sting pain that the infiltration of the anaesthetic solution caused using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Visual Analogue Scale for pain is a straight line with one end meaning no pain and the other end meaning the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Immediately after the infiltration of anaesthetic solution
Total pain during the injection of the anaesthetic solution (VAS)
The investigators ask the patients to evaluate the total pain that the infiltration of the anaesthetic solution caused using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Visual Analogue Scale for pain is a straight line with one end meaning no pain and the other end meaning the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Immediately after the infiltration of anaesthetic solution
Worst pain during the operation (VAS)
The investigators ask the patients to evaluate the worst pain during the operation using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Visual Analogue Scale for pain is a straight line with one end meaning no pain and the other end meaning the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Immediately after the operation
Duration of anaesthesia
The investigators assess the length of the anaesthesia by asking the patients to fill an online form when they first time feel pain in the operation field or have to use pain killers.
Time frame: Postoperatively during the first 72 hours after the operation
Self-reported symptom severity and functional status
The investigators ask the patients to evaluate their symptoms using Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTQ) score. It consists of the Symptom Severity Scale (SSS) containing 11 questions, and it uses a five-point Likert rating scale from 1 (no symptoms) to 5 (most severe symptoms), and Functional Status Scale (FSS), which has 8 questions assessing the degree of complaints on a five-point Likert scale from 1 (no symptoms) to 5 (most severe symptoms). Mean sum scores of both scales are calculated and used for analysis.
Time frame: Before and 3 months postoperatively
Patient satisfaction
Patients evaluate how likely they would recommend the procedure to a fellow man using Net Promoter Score (NPS). Net Promoter Score is a measurement taken from asking patients how likely they are to recommend the procedure to others on a scale of 0-10. The higher score the better outcome.
Time frame: 3 months postoperatively
Adverse events (AE)
Health care professional assessment
Time frame: 3 months postoperatively
Expected pain (VAS)
The investigators ask the patient to evaluate the pain during the infiltration of the anaestetic solution using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Visual Analogue Scale for pain is a straight line with one end meaning no pain and the other end meaning the worst pain imaginable.
Time frame: Before the infiltration of the anaesthetic solution
Amount of perceived needle stings
The investigators ask the patient to report how many needle stings they felt when the anaesthesia was performed.
Time frame: Immediately after the infiltration of anaesthetic solution
Consumption of pain killers
The investigators record the consumption of pain killers after surgery
Time frame: Postoperatively during the first 72 hours after the operation
Plan to share: Yes — This trial will share data with researchers who submit a methodologically sound proposal after its completion, as well as with reviewers of the journal where the trial results will be published, if necessary.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Sap, Icf, Csr, Analytic code
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Kuopio University Hospital