Naslov
Carpal tunnel and median nerve volume changes after tunnel release in patients with the carpal tunnel syndrome: a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study

Autori
Crnković, Tomislav ; Bilić, Ranko ; Trkulja, Vladimir ; Cesarik, Marijan ; Gotovac, Nikola ; Kolundžić, Robert

Izvornik
International orthopaedics (0341-2695) 40 (2016), 5; 981-987

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Carpal tunnel release ; Carpal tunnel syndrome ; Carpal tunnel volume ; Median nerve volume.

Sažetak
Purpose: Our aim was to study the dynamics of the post-surgical canal and nerve volumes and their relationships to objective [electromyoneurography (EMNG)] and subjective (pain) outcomes. Methods: Forty-seven patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) (median age 52, range 23-75 years) with a prominent narrowing of the median nerve within the canal (observed during carpal tunnel release) were evaluated clinically using EMNG and magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) before and at 90 and 180 days post-surgery. Results: Canal and nerve volumes increased, EMNG findings improved and pain resolved during the follow-up. Increase in tunnel volume was independently associated with increased nerve volume. A greater post-surgical nerve volume was independently associated with a more prominent resolution of pain, but not with the extent of EMNG improvement, whereas EMNG improvement was not associated with pain resolution. Conclusions: Data confirm that MRI can detect even modest changes in the carpal tunnel and median nerve volume and that tunnel release results in tunnel and nerve-volume increases that are paralleled by EMNG and clinical improvements. Taken together, these observations suggest that MRI could be used to objectivise persistent post-surgical difficulties in CTS patients. Level of evidence 3 (follow-up study).

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kliničke medicinske znanosti

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