Macromastia: a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome?

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a cohort of women with macromastia and to assess the evolution of the CTS signs and symptoms after breast surgery.

Population: A series of 123 women was evaluated. CTS was defined by co-existence of symptoms, two physical findings and electrophysiological evaluation. One year after reduction mammaplasty, the 22 patients who had been diagnosed CTS were re-evaluated.

Results: CTS group of women had a mean age of 38.8 years, mean body mass index of 28.5 kg/m(2) and mean breast size of 35.9 cm. Age and nipple-to-sternal notch distance were statistically significantly associated with CTS (p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). A year after surgery 15 patients were re-assessed: nine patients reported absence or improvement of CTS symptoms while six patients reported symptoms persistence or worsening.

Conclusion: Age, breast size, but not body mass index, have a positive correlation with the CTS.