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.