I. Okutsu et al., RESULTS OF ENDOSCOPIC MANAGEMENT OF CARPAL-TUNNEL SYNDROME IN LONG-TERM HEMODIALYSIS VERSUS IDIOPATHIC PATIENTS, Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation, 8(10), 1993, pp. 1110-1114
The purpose of this paper is to compare the results of our endoscopic
management of carpal-tunnel syndrome caused by long-term haemodialysis
to that with no apparent cause (idiopathic). We have operated on 551
hands in 370 patients using the Universal Subcutaneous Endoscope syste
m under local anaesthesia without a pneumatic tourniquet on an out-pat
ient basis since 1986. Ninety-six hands in 64 patients who suffered fr
om carpal-tunnel syndrome from long-term haemodialysis and 85 hands in
52 patients who suffered from carpal-tunnel syndrome for no apparent
cause were statistically analysed using complete pre- and postoperativ
e electrophysiological and clinical studies for periods of time rangin
g from over 6 months to 4.8 years (mean 16.9 months). Electrophysiolog
ical and clinical results showed that our endoscopic management in lon
g-term haemodialysis patients is effective, safe and yields the same r
esults as in patients who suffered from carpal-tunnel syndrome for no
apparent cause.