Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) Post-burn
Conditions
Keywords
carpal tunnel syndrome post-burn, TECAR, Hand grip, BOSTON questionnaire, VAS
Brief summary
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a common entrapment neuropathy that can develop as a secondary complication following deep burns involving the hand or wrist. Post-burn CTS arises due to factors such as fibrosis, edema, and scar contracture, which may increase pressure on the median nerve within the carpal tunnel, leading to significant pain, sensory disturbances, and impaired hand function Recent studies support the effectiveness of Transfer Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR ) therapy in idiopathic CTS, showing improvements in pain, symptom severity, and function, as measured by validated tools such as the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). A study reported that both TECAR and ultrasound groups showed significant symptom improvement after treatment, although ultrasound had more sustained effects on median nerve cross-sectional area at 3 months
Detailed description
This study will involve 52 patients diagnosed with CTS post-burn; they will receive TECAR as an intervention. The outcome measures include ( VAS, Arabic version of Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, and Camry Digital Handgrip Dynamometer
Interventions
DEVICETransfer Energy Capacitive and Resistive (TECAR) [ SMART TECAR }
TECAR therapy at a frequency of 0.5 MHz and intensity of 30 to 50% and medium Capacitive Energy Transfer electrode (60 mm), 5 min capacitive (CAP) and 10 min resistive (RES), The passive electrode was fixed to the dorsum of the hand while the active electrode was moved in a circular manner from the proximal carpal tunnel to the median nerve pathway of the palm in three sessions per week for two weeks
OTHERStandard Hand Rehabilitation [ US }
US using a 3 MHz probe at a dose of 1.5 watts/cm2 for 5 min intermittently for 2 weeks, 5 times a week, plus mobility and strengthening exercises
Sponsors
Cairo University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Participant is between 20 and 40 years of age. * Diagnosed with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). * History of an upper limb burn, with the percentage of the Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) ranging from 20% to 25%. * Upper limb burn is diagnosed as a 2nd or 3rd-degree burn complicated with carpal tunnel syndrome. * Carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis is clinically confirmed using physical examination, including a positive Tinel's sign and positive Phalen's test. * Participant provides written informed consent before enrollment.
Exclusion criteria
* History of double crush syndrome, cervical radiculopathy, or fibromyalgia. * History of wrist fracture or distal radius fracture. * Diagnosis of systemic or local diseases that contribute to peripheral neuropathy, including Diabetes Mellitus or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). * Diagnosis of hypothyroidism, skin diseases, or peripheral vascular diseases. * Current or past history of cancer. * Use of a hand or wrist splint within the past three months. * Presence of an implanted pacemaker or electrical prosthesis.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Symptom Severity | Baseline and 2 weeks | The Arabic version of the BCTQ-SSS will be used to self-report symptom severity. It consists of 11 items assessing pain, numbness, paresthesia, weakness, and nocturnal symptoms. Each item is scored from 1 (never/none) to 5 (most severe). The overall score is calculated as the mean of the items, ranging from 1 to 5, where higher scores indicate worse symptom severity. |
| Functional Status | Baseline and 2 weeks. | The Arabic version of the BCTQ-FSS will be used to evaluate hand function across 8 common activities. Each activity is scored from 1 (no difficulty) to 5 (cannot perform the activity at all). The total score is the mean of the items, ranging from 1 to 5, where higher scores represent greater functional impairment. |
| Grip Strength | Baseline and 2 weeks. | Objective hand function and force production of the median nerve-innervated muscles will be measured using a Camry Digital Handgrip Dynamometer. Measurements are recorded in kilograms (kg), up to a maximum strength of 90 kg. Higher scores indicate greater hand grip strength. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Intensity | Baseline and 2 weeks. | Pain intensity will be measured using the Arabic version of the VAS, where patients mark their current pain level on a 10-cm line. The scale ranges from 0 cm ("no pain") to 10 cm ("worst pain"). Higher scores represent greater pain severity. |
Countries
Egypt
Contacts
CONTACTAhmed abdelnasr Mohamed Youness, Demonstrator (TA)
CONTACTNada Mohamed Yousef, Lecturer
STUDY_DIRECTORWafaa Hussien Borhan, Professor
Cairo University
STUDY_DIRECTORAshraf Alsibai Mohamed, Professor
Cairo University
Outcome results
None listed