title: Carpal tunnel syndrome: use of palmar stimulation of sensory fibers.
abstract: In early or mild carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), where the segment of median nerve sensory fibers is neurapraxic, stimulation of the nerve distal to the carpal ligament elicits a normal response in comparison to the segment of nerve across the carpal tunnel. In 100 hands of 50 normal adults, palmar stimulation of the median sensory fibers at 7 cm was compared to that at the wrist (14cm). Mean values for latency, amplitude, and duration were obtained, and palm/wrist ratios were calculated. Fifteen patients with CTS and 6 with underlying peripheral neuropathy were studied. This technique is useful for diagnosing early CTS and also for identifying an underlying mild peripheral neuropathy, eg, in diabetes mellitus.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time; D014953:Wrist / Q000294:innervation