Carpal tunnel syndrome in chronic renal dialysis patients: Clinical evaluation of 62 hands and results of operative treatment

A prospective study was performed on 62 hands in 45 consecutive patients on chrome dialysis carpal tunnel syndrome developed within an average of 116 months after formation of the arterio-venous fistula. We measured the intra-carpal canal pressure by the wick catheter technique and performed neurography. At operation, a markedly thickened transverse carpal ligament was usually found. A pneumatic tourniquet was applied in all except three cases, whose functioning fistulae were made of implants, but no complications such as obturation of the fistulae occurred. Thirty-three (76.7%) of 43 cases had good results. Full recovery of sensibility was obtained in all hands in which symptoms had been present for less than two years. There was no benefit from operation in two patients (4.7%), both of whom had symptoms for more than two years.