TITLE:
A New Neurological Sign Shows Severity of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
AUTHORS:
Sevinç Çelik, Suat Erol Çelik, Canan Bolcu Emir
KEYWORDS:
Carpal Tunnel; Median Nerve; Pathological Reflex; Neurological Sign
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modern Neurosurgery,
Vol.4 No.1,
January
16,
2014
ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was prospective comparative determination of both clinical and neurophysiological characteristics of a new pathological reflex in CTS. The authors investigated 300 patients with severe carpal tunnel syndrome undergoing surgery. The 134 patients who showed the sign were allocated as the reflex group. The remaining 166 cases with no sign were named the control group. Two blinded neurology specialists evaluated all patients prior to and after the surgery. Their clinical data, the reflex sign and the electrophysiological results were recorded. The ligament thicknesses during surgery and postoperative changes were also recorded. The reflex group showed exaggerated symptoms with worse electrophysiological results. The reflex group also had thicker median carpal ligament in operative measurements. The difference was significant. The reflex does not disappear easily after surgery and persists up to three months. In the author’s opinion, this sign may present a new pathological reflex indicating severe long-lasting nerve compression with the requirement of surgical decompression of the median nerve in CTS subjects.