Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Secondary to

A patient with a severe and rapidly disabling carpal tunnel syndrome due toMycobacterium kansasiiresponded well to surgical decompression of the carpal tunnel and subsequent antituberculous drug therapy. Surgical treatment alone had failed when the infectious nature of the process was not appreciated. Extrapulmonary infection with atypical mycobacteria may occur without pulmonary disease. It is important to obtain material to culture for acid-fast bacteria in undiagnosed soft tissue inflammations.