Subjective Outcomes of Carpal Tunnel Release in Patients with Diabetes and Patients without Diabetes

This study aims to compare the subjective outcomes of carpal tun-
nel surgery in the patients with diabetes and patients without diabetes, and it tries
to determine the difference between insulin-dependent and noninsulin-dependent
patients.
Materials and Methods This retrospective cohort study compares subjective out-
comes of 35 patients with type 2 diabetes and 35 patients without diabetes who had a
unilateral carpal tunnel release. None of the patients with diabetes had neuropathy. All
the patients had surgery by a single surgeon with miniopen incision under local anes-
thesia. The patients were evaluated before surgery and 6 months after surgery using
two Brigham and Women’s Carpal Tunnel Questionnaires.
Results Carpal tunnel release was improved based on symptom severity scale (SSS)
and functional status scale scores in patients with diabetes and nondiabetic patients.
However, the mean SSS scores were higher in patients without diabetes 6 months after
the surgery. Comparison between the mean SSS scores of the patients with diabetes
showed higher scores in noninsulin-dependent patients. In patients with diabetes, SSS
scores were positively correlated with carpal tunnel syndrome and diabetes durations.
Conclusion The outcomes of carpal tunnel release were improved in both patients
with diabetes and patients without diabetes suffering from median nerve compression
at the wrist. However, the duration of diabetes and its treatment can be related to the
severity of the disease symptoms after the carpal tunnel releasing surgeries. In some
diabetic patients, the severity of the symptoms was persistent.
Level of Evidence This is a prognostic level IV study.