Ultrasound-Guided Carpal Tunnel Infiltration: Comparison Between the Manual Method and a Robot-Assisted Method

NCT ID: NCT07334964

Last Updated: 2026-01-12

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-11-25

Study Completion Date

2027-02-25

Brief Summary

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This study aims to assess the feasibility, safety, and accuracy of a robotic arm-assisted carpal tunnel injection in comparison with the conventional ultrasound-guided method, prior to conducting a larger-scale study.

The use of a robotic arm to maintain the ultrasound probe in position could provide valuable assistance to the physician. The procedure would no longer require the involvement of a third person in addition to the physician. To date, no study has compared these two approaches.

Detailed Description

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This study will be offered to patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome who are followed for this condition in a rheumatology setting. The carpal tunnel injection, as well as identification of the injection site using an ultrasound probe, will be performed by the practitioner according to standard clinical practice.

Maintaining the ultrasound probe during the injection will constitute the research-specific procedure (standard practice in Group A versus a research-specific procedure with probe holding by the robotic arm in Group B). Follow-up visits (at Day 7, Day 28 and 3 months after carpal tunnel injection) conducted via phone call, teleconsultation or consultation will also be research-specific procedures, as will completion of the pain VAS (Visual Analogue Scale), the BQCT (Boston carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire) self-administered questionnaire, and the participant satisfaction questionnaire.

Conditions

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

There are 2 arms with an equal number of patient randomized in a parallel way.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants
blinding during injection: a vertical drape blocking the view between the operator and the participant; the robot activated in both groups (noise), noise-reduction system for the patient (noise-canceling headset on the participant's ears, use of earphones, etc.), nurse present in both groups

Study Groups

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Manual (Arm A)

Ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel injection using the conventional method:

An ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel injection is performed using manual guidance. The operator first identifies the median nerve using an ultrasound probe. The operator then applies aseptic conditions. Subsequently, the operator holds the ultrasound probe in one hand and the medication in the other, and performs the injection while referring to the ultrasound image to ensure accurate needle placement.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Carpal tunnel injection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Ultrasound localization will be performed by the physician. He will then perform the injection under ultrasound guidance. In Group A, maintenance of the ultrasound probe during the injection will be performed by the physician assisted by a nurse. In Group B, maintenance of the ultrasound probe during the injection will be performed by the robotic arm.

All other aspects of the procedure will be carried out according to usual standards (localization, aseptic technique, injection, etc…). The procedure will be timed from the initial positioning (first contact of the ultrasound probe with the wrist) to the end of the injection (needle withdrawal).

Maintenance of participant blinding during the injection: a drape will be placed between the physician and the participant; the robot will be activated in both groups, the participant will wear anti noise headphones, and a nurse will be present in both groups.

Robot-Assisted (Arm B)

Ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel injection assisted by a robotic arm:

The operator first identifies the median nerve using an ultrasound probe tied back to the robotic arm. The operator then places both themselves and the probe attached robotic arm under aseptic conditions. The robotic arm is subsequently positioned to obtain the desired ultrasound imaging plane. The operator then has both hands free to perform the injection, referring to the ultrasound image to ensure accurate needle placement.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Carpal tunnel injection

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Ultrasound localization will be performed by the physician. He will then perform the injection under ultrasound guidance. In Group A, maintenance of the ultrasound probe during the injection will be performed by the physician assisted by a nurse. In Group B, maintenance of the ultrasound probe during the injection will be performed by the robotic arm.

All other aspects of the procedure will be carried out according to usual standards (localization, aseptic technique, injection, etc…). The procedure will be timed from the initial positioning (first contact of the ultrasound probe with the wrist) to the end of the injection (needle withdrawal).

Maintenance of participant blinding during the injection: a drape will be placed between the physician and the participant; the robot will be activated in both groups, the participant will wear anti noise headphones, and a nurse will be present in both groups.

Interventions

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Carpal tunnel injection

Ultrasound localization will be performed by the physician. He will then perform the injection under ultrasound guidance. In Group A, maintenance of the ultrasound probe during the injection will be performed by the physician assisted by a nurse. In Group B, maintenance of the ultrasound probe during the injection will be performed by the robotic arm.

All other aspects of the procedure will be carried out according to usual standards (localization, aseptic technique, injection, etc…). The procedure will be timed from the initial positioning (first contact of the ultrasound probe with the wrist) to the end of the injection (needle withdrawal).

Maintenance of participant blinding during the injection: a drape will be placed between the physician and the participant; the robot will be activated in both groups, the participant will wear anti noise headphones, and a nurse will be present in both groups.

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Age ≥ 18 and ≤ 75 years.
2. Clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.
3. Indication for corticosteroid injection as determined by investigator.
4. Moderate to severe carpal tunnel syndrome defined by a pain score on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ≥ 4 (at baseline and on day 0).
5. Signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Known allergy to corticosteroids or povidone-iodine (Betadine)
2. Probable or ongoing systemic or local infection
3. History of injection in the affected wrist within the last 6 months
4. Thenar eminence atrophy
5. Trauma requiring surgery or immobilization
6. History of carpal tunnel surgery
7. Protected person (under guardianship or curatorship)
8. Person under judicial protection
9. Person deprived of liberty
10. Person not affiliated with a social security scheme
11. Pregnant or breastfeeding woman
12. Person participating in a drug trial
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Centre Hospitalier Régional d'Orléans

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Camille LANGBOUR, Dr

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

CHU Orléans

Locations

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CHU Orléans

Orléans, , France

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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France

Central Contacts

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Camille LANGBOUR, Dr

Role: CONTACT

0238651450 ext. +33

Carine SALLIOT, Pr

Role: CONTACT

0238744014 ext. +33

Facility Contacts

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Camille LANGBOUR, Dr

Role: primary

0238651450 ext. +33

Carine SALLIOT, Pr

Role: backup

0238744014 ext. +33

References

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Lam KHS, Wu YT, Reeves KD, Galluccio F, Allam AE, Peng PWH. Ultrasound-Guided Interventions for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. Diagnostics (Basel). 2023 Mar 16;13(6):1138. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics13061138.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36980446 (View on PubMed)

Goswami RP, Sit H, Chatterjee M, Lahiri D, Sircar G, Ghosh P. High-resolution ultrasonography in carpal tunnel syndrome: role of ancillary criteria in diagnosis and response to steroid injection. Clin Rheumatol. 2021 Mar;40(3):1069-1076. doi: 10.1007/s10067-020-05228-8. Epub 2020 Jul 21.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32696280 (View on PubMed)

Lee JY, Park Y, Park KD, Lee JK, Lim OK. Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel injection using in-plane ulnar approach: a prospective, randomized, single-blinded study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2014 Dec;93(29):e350. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000000350.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25546691 (View on PubMed)

Mehta SP, Weinstock-Zlotnick G, Akland KL, Hanna MM, Workman KJ. Using Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire in clinical practice: A systematic review of its measurement properties. J Hand Ther. 2020 Oct-Dec;33(4):493-506. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2019.12.011. Epub 2020 Mar 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32151499 (View on PubMed)

Leite JC, Jerosch-Herold C, Song F. A systematic review of the psychometric properties of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2006 Oct 20;7:78. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-7-78.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17054773 (View on PubMed)

Jiang A, Qian Y, Yan J, Zhang S, Zhu S. Corticosteroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome: A meta-analysis comparing ultrasound guided approach with landmark approach. Pak J Med Sci. 2024 Mar-Apr;40(4):773-778. doi: 10.12669/pjms.40.4.8749.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 38545011 (View on PubMed)

Priester AM, Natarajan S, Culjat MO. Robotic ultrasound systems in medicine. IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2013 Mar;60(3):507-23. doi: 10.1109/TUFFC.2013.2593.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23475917 (View on PubMed)

Scheibert A, Preuss M, Osburg J, Ernst F, Kleemann M, Horn M. Robotic Assisted Ultrasound-Guided Endovascular Stent Implantation in a Vascular Model. Int J Med Robot. 2024 Dec;20(6):e70005. doi: 10.1002/rcs.70005.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39501897 (View on PubMed)

Eilers C, van Kemenade R, Busam B, Navab N. On the importance of patient acceptance for medical robotic imaging. Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg. 2023 Jul;18(7):1261-1267. doi: 10.1007/s11548-023-02948-5. Epub 2023 May 29.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37248427 (View on PubMed)

Peters-Veluthamaningal C, Winters JC, Groenier KH, Meyboom-de Jong B. Randomised controlled trial of local corticosteroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome in general practice. BMC Fam Pract. 2010 Jul 29;11:54. doi: 10.1186/1471-2296-11-54.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20670438 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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CHUO-2025-06

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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