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Ultrasound measurement of median nerve cross-sectional area at the inlet and outlet of carpal tunnel after carpal tunnel release compared to electrodiagnostic findings

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Abstract

Introduction

Ultrasound measurement of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve can give information about regeneration of the nerve after carpal tunnel release (CTR), but the changes at selected follow-up points up to 1 year compared to electrodiagnostic findings are not known. We postoperatively measured the CSA of the median nerve with ultrasound and compared the measurements with electrophysiological findings over 12 months after open CTR.

Materials and methods

In 21 hands that underwent open CTR, the CSA of the median nerve was measured at the inlet (proximal CSA) and outlet (distal CSA) of the carpal tunnel at 3- 6- and 12-month follow-up. The respective ratios [(CSA postoperatively/CSA preoperatively) × 100] were calculated and correlated with distal motor latency (DML) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV).

Results

The proximal CSA ratio was 88.9, 84.5, and 78.4 % at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up, respectively. Each value was significantly lower than that before surgery. The distal CSA ratio was 104.3, 99.1, and 91.8 % at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up, respectively. The values were not significantly different compared to preoperative values.

Conclusions

The proximal CSA of the median nerve decreased continuously over the time after CTR while the distal CSA increased up to 3 months before it decreased continuously, too.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express gratitude to Takamitsu Imanishi and Ryu Seong Yi for their US and NCS technical assistant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan

    Atsuyuki Inui, Hanako Nishimoto, Yutaka Mifune, Takeshi Kokubu, Ryosuke Sakata & Masahiro Kurosaka

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  1. Atsuyuki Inui
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  2. Hanako Nishimoto
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  3. Yutaka Mifune
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  4. Takeshi Kokubu
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  5. Ryosuke Sakata
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  6. Masahiro Kurosaka
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Correspondence to Atsuyuki Inui.

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Inui, A., Nishimoto, H., Mifune, Y. et al. Ultrasound measurement of median nerve cross-sectional area at the inlet and outlet of carpal tunnel after carpal tunnel release compared to electrodiagnostic findings. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 136, 1325–1330 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-016-2514-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-016-2514-9

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