Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Hemodialysis Patients

Journal of the Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand 2007;12(4):177-180.
Published online December 1, 2007.

Ung-Seo Chung, Woo-Sung Jung, Woo-Young Seo, Kwang-Hyun Lee

혈액투석 환자에서 수근관 증후군

정웅서, 정우성, 서우영, 이광현

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evalualte clinical features of carpal tunnel syndrome and clnical results of mininmal open carpal tunnel release procedure in patients who are receiving long-term hemodialysis. Materials and Methods: From 1993 to 2006, We retrospectively analyzed 16 hemodialysis patients (20 cases) with carpal tunnel syndrome who had been treated by minimal open carpal tunnel release procedure. The clinical features were reviewed such as Phalen’s test, Tinel’s sign, neurologic changes, duration of hemodialysis and the parameters related to the recurrence after operation were also investigated. Results: The mean age was 57.1 years (45~70) and the mean follow up period was 4.7 years (1~13.4). The mean period to the development of initial symptoms after hemodialysis was 13.8 years. Among 20 cases, 7 cases were recurred and the mean period to the recurrence of symptom was 3.8 years (0.33~7). The recurred patients after operation had the longer duration of hemodialysis than not-recurred patients at a time when carpal tunnel symptom occurred (p<0.05). Conclusion: Hemodialysis patients who receive minimal open carpal tunnel release procedure may result in a high recurrence rate of carpal tunnel syndrome. There need to be enough explanation and understanding about the recurrence preoperatively.