Danger of an unnecessarily prolonged dialysis session: carpal tunnel syndrome

Ten patients of a population of 319 on chronic intermittent treatment with Cuprophan dialyzers have undergone surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Since 1971 the dialysis schedule for all patients has been 4 m2/h three times per week. All patients were anuric. The operated patients represent 16% of the total population. In comparison with a dialysis population in other units described in the literature (12), 8 m2/h performed three times per week, with similar dialysis aging and a CTS incidence of 47%, it appears that the duration of the dialysis session per se increases the frequency of CTS and leads to the problem of the consequences of blood membrane interaction.