Surgery versus corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome (DISTRICTS): an open-label, multicentre, randomised controlled trial
Palmbergen WAC, Beekman R, Heeren AM, van Nuenen BFL, Alleman TWH, Verstraete E et al, for the Dutch CTS study group.
Lancet 2025; 405: 2153-2163.
This study included 934 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and compared surgical release with steroid injection (which could be repeated). At 18 months, recovery (defined as carpal tunnel score <8) was higher with surgery (61 vs 45 per cent, p<0.0001).