1. randomized controlled trial.pt. 2. controlled clinical trial.pt. 3. randomized controlled trials/ 4. random allocation/ 5. double‐blind method/ 6. single‐blind method/ 7. or/1‐6 8. animals/ not humans/ 9. 7 not 8 10. clinical trial.pt. 11. exp clinical trials/ 12. (clin$ adj25 trial$).ti,ab. 13. ((singl$ or doubl$ or tripl$ or trebl$) adj25 (blind$ or mask$)).ti,ab. 14. placebos/ 15. placebo$.ti,ab. 16. random$.ti,ab. 17. research design/ 18. or/10‐17 19. 18 not 8 20. 19 not 9 21. comparative study/ 22. exp evaluation studies/ 23. follow up studies/ 24. prospective studies/ 25. (control$ or prospectiv$ or volunteer$).ti,ab. 26. or/21‐25 27. 26 not 8 28. 27 not (9 or 20) 29. 9 or 20 or 28 30. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.mp. or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/ 31. (carp$ tunn$ or tunn$ syndrom$ or carp$ syndrom$).mp. [mp=title, original title, abstract, name of substance word, subject heading word] 32. (nerve entrapment or nerve compression or entrapment neuropath$).mp. [mp=title, original title, abstract, name of substance word, subject heading word] 33. median nerve entrapment.mp. [mp=title, original title, abstract, name of substance word, subject heading word] 34. nerve compression syndromes/ or nerve compression syndrom$.mp. [mp=title, original title, abstract, name of substance word, subject heading word] 35. or/30‐34 36. epineurotomy.mp. 37. reconstruct$.mp. 38. release.mp. 39. SURGERY/ or surgery.mp. 40. SURGICAL PROCEDURES, OPERATIVE/ or surgical.mp. 41. or/36‐40 42. 29 and 35 and 41