Clinical management of carpal tunnel syndrome in patients with long-term sequelae of poliomyelitis.

Thirty-three patients with long-term sequelae of poliomyelitis with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome established by either abnormal nerve conduction studies or previous carpal tunnel surgery were surveyed. There was no significant long-term resolution of symptoms in the patients who had surgery (n = 9) or were currently using wrist orthoses (n = 11) compared with patients without such treatment (n = 13). In patients who used a single cane or those who used crutches (N = 10), there was a direct correlation between the hand holding the cane or crutch and the hand in which carpal tunnel syndrome developed. The chronic use of cane and crutch predisposes these patients to development of carpal tunnel syndrome, and caution should be used when considering wrist surgery.