Abstract

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome(CTS) is the most frequent compressive neuropathy of upper extremity .Median nerve is compressed under flexor retinaculum because of primary or secondary reasons. Although primary CTS may have different causes, idiopathic CTS’s ethiology is unclear We aimed to evaluate tenosynovial tissue change under flexor retinaculum as a cause of idiopathic CTS even more as a possible cause of recurrent CTS.
Materials and Methods: We operated 175 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome who had median nerve compression. 110 patients were diagnosed as idiopathic CTS were included at our study. Open carpal tunnel release was performed by same surgeon and synovial samples were taken from synovial connective tissue under median nerve for pathological examination.
Results: All patients were followed-up 22 months ( 12 to 35 months ) prospectively. Mean age was 45 years( 22 to 65). Preop VAS score was 6 post op VAS score was 1. Synovial hypertrophy was detected at 38 of 110 patients(34%). Other pathological results were; 13 reactive synovitis (11%), 8 ganglion(7.2%) , 51 fibrohyaline nodulation(46.3%).
Conclusions: We recommend the evalution of tenosynovial tissue under flexor retinaculum after releasing the retinaculum. If there is an inflammation or a hypertrofi or a mass effect, surgeon must do partial tenosynovectomy to decrease the volume of the carpal tunnel and to prevent recurrence.

Key words: carpal tunnel, surgery, recurrence, synovial