Bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to tophaceous compression of the median nerves.

A 65-year-old man with long-term gouty arthritis developed bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. At surgery a chalky substance, which showed negative birefringence on polarized microscopy, was found infiltrating around the intensely inflamed transverse carpal ligaments. In differential diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome, tophaceous compression over the median nerve should be taken into consideration.