Carpal Tunnel Release Outcomes in Diabetic Versus Non-Diabetic Patients

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common compressive neuropathy. Diabetes mellitus is the most common disease that predisposes the patients to CTS. Diabetic neuropathy is a progressive disease and diabetics nerve is more susceptible to compression at known sites of anatomic constrains such as in the carpal tunnel; clinical results of carpal tunnel release has been questioned not to be as good as non-diabetic patients. This study was carried out to compare the clinical and electrodiagnostic outcomes of diabetic and non-diabetic carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery. Patients and Twenty diabetic hands (14 patients) and 18 non-diabetic hands (14 patients) that underwent CTR between Octobers 2009 - 2012 were evaluated. They were operated by one hand surgeon and were evaluated at least six months after the operation. Clinical symptoms as numbness, pain, paresthesia and nocturnal symptoms were evaluated. Electrodiagnostic results were evaluated pre- and post-operatively. After surgical release, both groups showed significant improvements in clinical results, as 81.6% of patients had excellent and good outcomes, 18.4% had fair outcomes, and no one had poor outcome. Except for median sensory nerve conduction velocity (NCV) changes that had significant differences between diabetic and non-diabetic groups, other parameters had no significant differences between both groups. Furthermore, significant reverse correlation was found between the duration of CTS and the outcome. Clinical and electrodiagnostic results after CTR are approximately the same in patients with diabetes and without it. Diabetics with CTS as well as non-diabetic patients have satisfactory results after CTR surgery. Furthermore, the duration of CTS has a significant influence on the result of CTR; the shorter duration of diabetes, the better the result of CTR surgery.