Carpal tunnel syndrome & cubital tunnel syndrome]

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and cubital tunnel syndrome (Cub.TS) are the two most common entrapment syndromes. Development of several validated outcome assessments have allowed conducting large scale epidemiological studies worldwide for the last decade regarding CTS, which have been providing reliable basic information. These studies have shown that CTS is more common than had been expected. It is estimated that lifetime risk of acquiring CTS is 10%, the annual incidence is 0.1% among adults, and overall prevalence is 2.7% among the general population. The most common cause is idiopathic inflammation of the flexor tendon sheath induced by activities involving repetitive wrist movement. In contrast, they are not available for Cub.TS and most data are derived from case series or expert opinion, therefore, information concerning Cub.TS is less reliable. In this lecture, the author is trying to offer up-date information of these entrapment neuropathies regarding their pathophysiology, epidemiology, and tips & pitfalls of diagnosis and treatment.     

Ultrasonographic measurements in cubital tunnel syndrome

The cubital tunnel is the most common site of ulnar nerve entrapment. Previous ultrasound studies have demonstrated enlargement of the ulnar nerve in cubital tunnel syndrome but did not report on the cubital tunnel itself. Twenty-two individuals with cubital tunnel syndrome were evaluated with nerve conduction studies and ultrasound. The ultrasound measurement that most strongly correlated with conduction velocity was the ratio of ulnar nerve to cubital tunnel cross-sectional area with the elbow flexed. Measurement of this ratio may improve the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in cubital tunnel syndrome, although further investigation is needed.     

An electrophysiological severity scale in tarsal tunnel syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To propose a neurophysiological classification of tarsal tunnel syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of two electromyography laboratories. Case inclusion criteria were based on clinical parameters. Motor conduction velocity, distal motor latency (DML), sensory conduction velocity (SCV) and sensory action potential (SAP) from big toe (T1) and from fifth toe (T5) to medial malleolus were measured in the medial and plantar nerves. When SCVs of T1 and T5 were normal, we considered the difference in T1 SCV between affected and unaffected side and in T1 SCV of the affected side with sural nerve distal SCV. Feet with TTS were classified in six electrophysiological classes: 0, normal SCV and DML; 1, normal absolute SCV with abnormal comparative tests; 2, slowing of T1 and T5 SCV and normal DML; 3, slowing of SCV and DML; 4, absence of T1 and T5 SAPs and abnormal DML; 5, absence of sensory and motor response. RESULTS: A total of 111 feet belonging to 96 patients (27 men, 69 women; mean age 49.6 years) were diagnosed with TTS. T1 and T5 SCV were abnormal in 82 and 73% of cases, respectively, and comparative tests were abnormal in a further 7% of cases. DML was abnormal in 82 feet (73.9%). Eight feet (7%) were without neurographic abnormalities. The distribution of feet in neurophysiological classes was: stage 0, 7%; stage 1, 9%; stage 2, 10%; stage 3, 39%; stage 4, 32%; stage 5, 3%. Higher clinical scores coincided with higher neurographic classes. CONCLUSION: The progression of neurographic abnormalities in TTS reflects the relation between SCV and DML, and between neurographic values and clinical severity. The scale assigns severity classes in a reliable and non-arbitrary way. This classification can easily be used by electrophysiological laboratories with their own electrophysiological techniques and normal values.     

肘管综合征的临床病因学探讨及神经电生理检查

目的 探讨肘管综合征的发病原因，评价尺神经传导速度(NCV)检查在术前诊断肘管综合征的临床价值。方法 对临床上伴有尺神经分布区受损症状及体征的患者，进行尺神经感觉神经传导速度(SCV)及运动神经传导速度(MCV)分段测定，并对这些患者进行尺神经前移术治疗。结果 共有21例(22肢)行尺神经传导速度分段测定并手术治疗。尺神经SCV测定，14例(14肢)异常，其中12例未引出电位；MCV肘上至肘下段测定，20例(21肢)减慢。手术证实尺神经受压原因为：韧带、肌腱及骨质增生压迫尺神经15肢，粘连2肢，扩张静脉及静脉丛压迫3肢，囊性肿物压迫2肢。结论 本组肘管综合征发病原因，除文献报道的常见病因外，还有其他少见原因，包括充盈的静脉丛，粗大静脉，囊肿压迫尺神经等。尺神经肘段运动神经传导速度减慢对肘管综合征有一定诊断价值。     

神经电生理检测在肘管综合征中的应用

目的:探讨神经电生理检测在肘管综合征(CuTS)中的临床应用价值.方法:总结86例(88侧)CuTS患者(患者组)的临床神经电生理资料,并与30例(60侧)正常人(对照组)相关的电生理数据进行分析比较.结果:患者组共有19侧肢体在尺神经运动传导检测时未引出波形,有36侧肢体在尺神经感觉传导检测时未引出波形.尺神经运动传导速度肘上至肘下段为(34.56±6.27) m/s,复合肌肉动作电位潜伏期较对照组延长、波幅降低,感觉神经传导速度为(40.72±6.54)m/s,与对照组比较,差异均有极显著意义(P＜0.01).结论:神经电生理检测为诊断CuTS的可靠手段,可早期确诊及精确定位尺神经受损的部位及损伤程度.为提高其敏感性及定位的准确性,在电生理检查方法上还需进一步探讨.     

The cubital tunnel syndrome: Treatment with simple decompression

Twelve patients with progressive cubital tunnel syndrome were treated with simple decompression of the ulnar nerve. The clinical and electrophysiological responses to treatment are described.     

The cubital tunnel syndrome: diagnosis and precise localization

The cubital tunnel syndrome is a subgroup of ulnar neuropathies arising at the elbow, with nerve entrapment under the aponeurosis connecting the two heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. To separate this condition more clearly from tardy ulnar palsy, the clinical and electrophysiological features of 9 patients are presented, 6 of whom had the syndrome bilaterally. There was no history of trauma and no clinical or roentgenographic evidence of joint deformity in any of the patients. In 9 of the 15 ulnar nerves, abnormal conduction was localized to the level of the cubital tunnel (1.5 to 3.5 cm distal to the medial epicondyle). The findings were confirmed intraoperatively in 7 patients and corresponded to a tight band compressing the ulnar nerve and causing narrowing at the cubital tunnel with swelling proximally. This syndrome represents a common and distinct subgroup of ulnar neuropathies at the elbow.     

Tarsal tunnel syndrome: electrophysiological study.

Tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) is a rare compression neuropathy of the posterior tibial nerve. Typical symptoms are burning pain and paresthesia in the toes and along the sole of the foot. The presence of Tinel's sign and objective sensory loss in the territory of any of the terminal branches of the posterior tibial nerve are diagnostically helpful. The terminal latency and sensory nerve conduction velocity in medial and lateral plantar nerves were studied in 20 normal controls and 21 cases of TTS in 17 patients. Prolonged terminal latency was observed in 11 cases, with TTS, while sensory nerve conduction abnormality (either absent nerve potential or slow sensory nerve conduction velocity) was found in 19. The sensory nerve conduction velocity in the lateral and medial plantar nerves is a superior objective diagnostic index of TTS.     

48例肘管综合征临床分析

目的 探讨肘管综合征(CuTS)患者的临床及神经电生理特点.方法 总结46例CuTS患者患侧(患者组)与健侧(对照组)相关的临床及神经电生理资料进行分析比较. 结果尺神经运动传导速度肘上-肘下段为(33.56±8.61) m/s,动作电位潜伏期较对照组延长,波幅降低,感觉神经传导速度为(37.34±8.57) m/s,感觉电位潜伏期较对照组延长,波幅降低,其间的差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).患者组1例未引出运动诱发的动作电位波形,4例未引出感觉诱发的动作电位波形.结论 肘管综合征应早诊断、早治疗;而神经电生理检测为诊断肘管综合征的可靠手段,可早期确诊及准确定位尺神经受损部位及损伤程度.     

神经肌电图检查对肘管综合征与腕尺管综合征鉴别诊断的价值

目的探讨神经肌电图检查在肘管综合征(CuTS)与腕尺管综合征(UTS)鉴别诊断中的应用价值。方法对35例单侧上肢临床症状、体征符合CuTS或UTS的患者进行尺神经、正中神经远端运动潜伏期(DML)、运动传导速度(MCV)、感觉传导速度(SCV)、波幅(AMP)及尺神经肘部寸移电位检测;尺神经、正中神经所支配的肌肉肌电图(EMG)检测。结果 35例患者中,CuTS 29例(83%),UTS 4例(11%),正常2例(6%),总异常率94%。结论神经肌电图检测可明确鉴别肘管综合征与腕尺管综合征,为临床诊断及治疗提供依据,有重要的临床应用价值。     

MR在尺神经卡压综合征诊疗中的应用

目的探讨MR在尺神经卡压综合征(CuTS)术前评估、术式选择、术后疗效评估中的应用价值。方法对470例CuTS患者,按Dellon术式对卡压神经行尺神经显微松解减压术。所有患者术前4周病侧组和健侧组尺神经行MR检测对照,术前、术后病侧组尺神经MR检测指标对照。结果 MR显示受累神经肿胀、增粗,信号减低,神经内线状结构消失,肿胀部位(内上髁沟、穿尺侧腕屈肌处)明显受到旋前圆肌、指浅屈肌、肘管、屈肌总腱等组织卡压;神经横截面积(CSA)相比较于健侧差异显著;术前、术后对照:MR尺神经检测结果提示神经卡压明显缓解。结论 MR能够从形态学角度提供神经卡压程度、部位等信息,同时可以清晰显示卡压神经周围解剖,适用于辅助术前评估,指导手术操作,评价手术效果。     

Surgical treatment for severe cubital tunnel syndrome with absent sensory nerve conduction

For severe cubital tunnel syndrome, patients with absent sensory nerve action potential tend to have more severe nerve damage than those without. Thus, it is speculated that such patients generally have a poor prognosis. How absent sensory nerve action potential affects surgical outcomes remains uncertain owing to a scarcity of reports and conflicting results. This retrospective study recruited one hundred and fourteen cases(88 patients with absent sensory nerve action potential and 26 patients with present sensory nerve action potential) undergoing either subcutaneous transposition or in situ decompression. The minimum follow-up was set at 2 years. Primary outcome measures of overall hand function included their McGowan grade, modified Bishop score, and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire(DASH) score. For patients with absent sensory nerve action potential, 71 cases(80.7%) achieved at least one McGowan grade improvement, 76 hands(86.4%) got good or excellent results according to the Bishop score, and the average DASH score improved 49.5 points preoperatively to 13.1 points postoperatively. When compared with the present sensory nerve action potential group, they showed higher postoperative McGowan grades and DASH scores, but there was no statistical difference between the modified Bishop scores of the two groups. Following in situ decompression or subcutaneous transposition, great improvement in hand function was achieved for severe cubital tunnel syndrome patients with absent sensory nerve action potential. The functional outcomes after surgery for severe cubital tunnel syndrome are worse in patients with absent sensory nerve action potential than those without. This study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, China(approval No. 2017142).     

Exclusive electrophysiological motor involvement in carpal tunnel syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To define the frequency of exclusive electrophysiological motor involvement in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). METHODS: We reviewed the electrophysiological studies of 2727 consecutive hands with typical symptoms and signs of CTS and at least one abnormal test of the following: median distal motor latency (DML), digit two sensory conduction velocity (D2-SCV), segmental D2-SCV from wrist to palm, median-ulnar sensory latency difference from ring finger stimulation. RESULTS: Thirty-one hands (1.2%) had prolonged median DML ( > 4.4 ms) with normal SCV ( > 48 m/s). In 17 of 31 hands, segmental D2-SCV from wrist to palm or median-ulnar latency difference from ring finger stimulation were also performed with normal results in 8 hands, demonstrating a true exclusive electrophysiological motor involvement. CONCLUSIONS: In CTS, exclusive electrophysiological involvement of median motor fibers is rare. It may be related to preferential compression of the intraneural motor fascicles clumped superficially in the most volar-radial nerve quadrant or, more probably, to the fact that the recurrent thenar branch may exit the carpal tunnel through a separate ligamentous tunnel within the transverse carpal ligament where it may be preferentially or selectively compressed.     

术中神经电生理监测和刺激尺神经治疗肘管综合征

目的 评估尺神经松解前置术结合术中超强电刺激治疗肘管综合征的治疗效果.方法 30例中重度肘管综合征患者首先进行尺神经松解前置术,测定并记录松解后小指展肌复合肌肉动作电位(CMAP)的潜伏期及波幅;然后给予尺神经超强电刺激治疗(80 mA,2Hz,10 min),按照同样的方法再次记录小指展肌CMAP的潜伏期及波幅,并将刺激前后的数据进行统计学分析.结果 患者尺神经外膜松解后与超强电刺激后小指展肌CMAP的波幅分别为(2.5±0.4) mV和(6.2±0.8)mV,潜伏期分别为(12.0±0.6)ms和(10.3±0.3)ms,经比较有统计学意义(P＜0.05).超强电刺激后小指展肌CMAP的潜伏期较前平均缩短15.7％,波幅平均增大约2倍.结论 术中超强电刺激对肘管综合征患者的尺神经功能恢复具有辅助治疗作用.     

Sonographic and electrophysiological detection in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome

Abstract

Objectives: To assess prospectively the significance of sonographic measurements of the median nerve in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), to look for proper parameters and cutoff values for the sonographic diagnosis, and to correlate with the electrophysiological findings.

Materials and methods: This study involved 30 patients, who were clinically diagnosed as CTS merely based on their symptoms and signs; and 30 healthy volunteers were served as controls. Eligible subjects underwent sonographic and electromyographic detection.

Results: In the CTS patient group, the cross-sectional area (CSA) at the pisiform bone level (CSA2) and the diameter (D) of the median nerve increased. When the cutoff values of CSA2 and D were 0·105 cm² and 0·195 cm, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the diagnosis were 91·5, 94·5, 94·1%, and 90·7, 80·4, 86·5%, respectively. Both CSA and D were negatively related to sensory conduction velocity, while CSA was positively related to distal motor latency.

Conclusion: There is a good association of sonographic with electrophysiologic detection for the diagnosis of CTS.     

Clinical and electrophysiological findings and follow-up in tarsal tunnel syndrome

The authors report clinical and electrophysiological findings in 59 patients with tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) and follow-up in 23 of them. The entrapment was prevalent in females; was bilateral in 6 patients and involved medial plantar in 7 and lateral plantar nerves in two cases. Eleven presented with other nerve entrapment syndromes or focal mononeuropathies, due to hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy or systemic diseases. The other 48 subjects had TTS without any other related entrapment syndromes: 23 were idiopathic cases, 13 had a history of local trauma, 3 had systemic diseases and the others had external or intrinsic compressions. The most frequent symptoms were paraesthesia or dysaesthesia (86% of feet) and pain (55%). Hypoaesthesia of the sole and weakness of toe flexion were evident in 74% and 22% of feet, respectively. Absence of sensory action potential or slowing of sensory conduction velocity (SCV) of the plantar nerves were present in 77% of feet; significant differences of SCV between affected and unaffected plantar nerves and/or between distal sural and plantar nerves were evident in 14%. Abnormalities of plantar SCV were therefore absent in only 9% of feet. Distal motor latency was delayed in 55% and electromyography showed neurogenic changes in 45% of sole muscles. Five cases (6 feet) underwent surgery with excellent or good results in 5, 4 of them also showing improvement in distal conduction of the plantar nerves. Nine were treated with local steroid injections, with good results shown in 6 patients. Nine other patients who did not receive any therapy showed a disappearance of symptoms or good outcome in 6 cases. The subjects with poor therapeutic results had S1 radiculopathy or systemic diseases. The authors underline that patients with connective tissue diseases should not be treated by surgical decompression because they may have subclinical neuropathy. Some subjects with idiopathic or trauma-induced TTS recover spontaneously. Surgical release should be limited to cases with space-occupying lesions and when conservative treatments fail.     

Anterior subcutaneous transposition of the ulnar nerve improves neurological function in patients with cubital tunnel syndrome

Although several surgical procedures exist for treating cubital tunnel syndrome, the best surgical option remains controversial. To evaluate the efficacy of anterior subcutaneous transposition of the ulnar nerve in patients with moderate to severe cubital tunnel syndrome and to analyze prognostic factors, we retrospectively reviewed 62 patients(65 elbows) diagnosed with cubital tunnel syndrome who underwent anterior subcutaneous transposition. Preoperatively, the initial severity of the disease was evaluated using the Mc Gowan scale as modified by Goldberg: 18 patients(28%) had grade IIA neuropathy, 20(31%) had grade IIB, and 27(42%) had grade III. Postoperatively, according to the Wilson Krout criteria, treatment outcomes were excellent in 38 patients(58%), good in 16(25%), fair in 7(11%), and poor in 4(6%), with an excellent and good rate of 83%. A negative correlation was found between the preoperative Mc Gowan grade and the postoperative Wilson Krout score. The patients having fair and poor treatment outcomes had more advanced age, lower nerve conduction velocity, and lower action potential amplitude compared with those having excellent and good treatment outcomes. These results suggest that anterior subcutaneous transposition of the ulnar nerve is effective and safe for the treatment of moderate to severe cubital tunnel syndrome, and initial severity, advancing age, and electrophysiological parameters can affect treatment outcome.