title: A non-invasive technique for estimating carpal tunnel pressure by measuring shear wave speed in tendon: a feasibility study.
abstract: Although a close relationship between carpal tunnel pressure and median nerve dysfunction has been found, the current methods for pressure measurements are invasive, using a catheter in the carpal canal to monitor the pressure. A noninvasive method for quantifying carpal tunnel pressure would be useful as an alternative to the catheter method. In this study, a simplified experimental model was developed to measure the shear wave speed in a canine Achilles tendon under different tunnel pressures. The results showed that the speed of waves through the inside-tunnel tendon had a linear relationship with the pressure in the tunnel (first measurement: r=0.966, P<0.001; second measurement: r=0.970, P<0.001). This indicates that the tendon could serve as a strain gauge to evaluate the tunnel pressure by detecting the changes of wave propagation speed. However, further validations in human cadavers and clinical subjects are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Biomechanics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Yuexiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qiang
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Greenleaf
authors.forename: Kai-Nan
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Amadio
authors.forename: Chunfeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D011312:Pressure