15-Minute Ultrasound-Guided Saline Injection Relieves Carpal Tunnel, May Avert Surgery

Researchers in India conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial involving 63 individuals whose carpal tunnel symptoms persisted despite standard care. Participants were assigned to receive either ultrasound-guided hydrodissection with saline, the same technique combined with corticosteroids, or a conventional steroid injection without hydrodissection. All groups improved at four weeks, but only the hydrodissection arms maintained and further enhanced pain relief, sensory improvement and hand function at 12 weeks and six months.

Ultrasound measurements showed a 43-45% reduction in median-nerve size for hydrodissection patients versus a 15% reduction for steroid-only cases. The saline-only hydrodissection required roughly 15 minutes, caused no notable complications, and allowed patients to resume work within an hour, positioning it as a safe, minimally invasive option that could postpone or eliminate the need for surgery. The investigators plan larger, multi-center studies to confirm durability and compare different injection fluids.