Platelet Rich Plasma in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Research sample; Voluntary female patients who are referred to the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic and who have a clinical and electrophysiological diagnosis of mild or moderate CTS. Patients aged between 25‐70 years and who have complaints consistent with CTS for more than 3 months will be selected. The size of the sample was determined by the preliminary statistical study conducted using the NCSS‐PASS 12 program, and will consist of 84 patients. Patients will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. Local platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection in the first group (n = 42) and local steroid injection in the second group (n = 42) will be performed once into the carpal tunnel. PRP will be obtained by centrifugation of autologous anticoagulated whole blood. 6.43 mg of betamethasone dipropionate and 2.63 mg of betamethasone sodium phosphate will be administered as local steroids. Both groups will be recommended a resting splint for use in the day time when possible and at night time. Clinical and electrophysiological evaluations of all patients will be performed by a researcher who is blinded to the treatment received by the patient. The electrophysiological and clinical evaluations of the patients will be done by the same investigator before and after the 1st and 3rd months of therapy. At one and three month follow up, Symptom severity and functional capacity will be assessed using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire. The hand grip strength of the patients will be assessed using a Jamar hand dynamometer ( (Baseline hydraulic hand dynomometer, Irvington, NY, USA) and the finger holding power by pinchmeter. Conventional motor and sensory nerve conduction studies will be applied as electrodiagnostic studies.