The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons updated its clinical guidelines for managing carpal tunnel syndrome, according to a June 11 news release.
The new guideline updates the 2016 edition and is now streamlined to focus on long-term benefits of CTS treatment. It includes an emphasis on CTS diagnosis and notes that evaluation tool CTS-6 can be used instead of ultrasonography or a nerve conduction velocity test and electromyography. The AAOS also notes that mini-open and endoscopic carpal tunnel release can provide similar long-term outcomes for CTS.
"While the 2016 guideline covered several recommendations for the short-term effects of CTS treatment, our workgroup chose to focus on long-term patient outcomes as shifts in healthcare require a focus on cost-effective, high-quality and patient-centered care," Lauren Shapiro, MD, co-chair of the guideline development group, said in the release. "This update provides physicians and patients with clear recommendations to optimize outcomes while minimizing unnecessary interventions."
Read the full guideline here.