✋ Steroid Injection vs Surgical Release Decision Simulator

Mild, Short-Duration Symptoms

Short duration and low severity favor a conservative trial.

• <3 mo: Typical duration (short symptom history)
• Normal: EMG finding (no denervation)
• Injection: First-line choice (conservative option)
• Low: Surgery need (usually deferred)

Why mild cases stay conservative

Low severity and short duration predict good injection response.

Trial of Steroid Injection

A single injection tests symptom response before escalation.

• Days: Relief onset (short placeholder)
• Variable: Response rate (depends on severity)
• ~2: Repeat limit (before reconsidering)
• Relapse: Escalation cue (triggers re-evaluation)

Assessing injection response

Symptom relief duration guides whether surgery becomes necessary.

Symptom Duration Threshold

Longer duration steadily shifts risk toward the surgical side.

• ~6–12 mo: Threshold (placeholder range)
• Rising: Risk trend (with duration)
• Rightward: Marker motion (on duration axis)
• Moderate: Decision weight (combined with severity)

Crossing the duration line

Chronic duration alone can tip the balance toward surgery.

Moderate-Severe / EMG Denervation

Denervation signs on EMG strongly favor surgical release.

• Denervation: EMG finding (axonal loss signs)
• Limited: Injection value (short-term only)
• Rising: Nerve risk (delay raises damage)
• Higher: Surgical urgency (placeholder note)

Denervation changes the calculus

Nerve damage signs override a simple duration-based decision.

Surgical Release Decision Point

Combined severity and duration cross into the surgery zone.

• Ligament release: Procedure (transverse carpal ligament)
• High: Success rate (placeholder estimate)
• Weeks: Recovery (short placeholder)
• Low: Recurrence (placeholder estimate)

Committing to surgery

Release is chosen once conservative options are exhausted.

This threshold model is a simplified teaching placeholder only.