Prevalence and associated factors of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) among medical laboratory staff at King Saud University Hospitals, KSA

Abstract Background Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common nerve entrapment syndrome. It is caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist. The diagnosis of CTS is based on a combination of characteristic symptoms and electrophysiologic abnormalities. Electrodiagnostic testing (EDT) is uncomfortable for patients, time consuming and expensive. Objective To evaluate the role of greyscale and strain elastography ultrasound imaging in diagnosing patients with CTS and controls in comparison with nerve conductive studies. Patients and Methods Type of Study: Descriptive, prospective study. Study Setting: The study will be conducted at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Radiodiagnosis department. Study Period: 6 months. Study Population: Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed clinically and underwent nerve conduction velocity study. Results In this study 7 wrists were diagnosed with mild CTS, 5 wrists demonstrated moderate CT, whereas only 3 wrists revealed severe CTS. The mean CSA would have increased if the number of cases with severe CTS had been higher. CSA of the median nerve has been reported to increase with the severity of entrapment. The cut off point of the average CSA to differentiate between cases and controls was found > 8 with sensitivity of 93.33%, specificity of 80% and area under curve (AUC) of 91.3% while the best cut off point for Elasto score was found > 1 with sensitivity of 86.6%, specificity of 80% and area under curve (AUC) of 93.3%. Conclusion We concluded that sonoelastography is a sensitive tool for prediction of CTS and it’s severity in correlation to NCV.

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Evaluation of Local Corticosteroids Injection in Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research ◽

10.9734/jammr/2021/v33i330817 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 21-27

Author(s):

Mostafa Fersan Sallam ◽

Nabil Omar Gharbo ◽

Muhammed Abd Elmoneam Quolquela ◽

Mohammed Osama Ramadan

Keyword(s):

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ◽

Carpal Tunnel ◽

Steroid Injection ◽

Dominant Hand ◽

University Hospitals ◽

Significant Clinical Improvement ◽

Tunnel Syndrome ◽

Local Steroid Injection ◽

A Prospective Study ◽

Symptoms And Signs

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common type of peripheral nerve entrapment; it affects females more than males; it may be idiopathic or secondary to other disorders especially diabetes mellitus. Carpal tunnel syndrome mostly affects manual workers and may be bilateral or unilateral and mainly affects the dominant hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome has characteristic symptoms and signs including paresthesia and pain along median nerve distribution, these symptoms are usually accompanied by positive provocative tests. Electrodiagnostic studies remain the cornerstone in the diagnosis of CTS. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated conservatively by activities of daily living instructions, splints, medical treatments as neurotropic drugs and NSAIDs and local steroid injection. Also, it can be treated by surgical decompression in severe cases. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate local steroid injection in the treatment of CTS. Twenty-one patients with mild and moderate CTS were included in this study. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective study included 21 patients with symptoms and signs of mild to moderate CTS attending the outpatient clinic of orthopedic Department, Tanta University Hospitals in the period between February 2019- January 2020. 1 ml Triamcinolone was used with 2 ml lidocaine. Patient’ hand was rested on towel roll flexed about 30 to 45 degrees and injection was done according to landmarks. Night splint was described for 3 days after injection. Results: In regards to clinical assessment; there was a significant clinical improvement after injection and follow-up period as compared to before injection. In regards to electrophysiological assessment; there was a significant improvement in NCS after injection. Conclusion: Local steroid injection is an effective treatment and recommended as a therapeutic tool in the management of idiopathic mild to moderate CTS.

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Clinical Update: Assessing Maximum Medical Improvement in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Guides Newsletter ◽

10.1001/amaguidesnewsletters.2003.julaug02 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 4-5

Author(s):

Christopher R. Brigham ◽

James B. Talmage

Keyword(s):

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ◽

Carpal Tunnel ◽

Proper Time ◽

Carpal Tunnel Release ◽

Hand Function ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Early Results ◽

Medical Evaluation ◽

Nerve Recovery ◽

Tunnel Syndrome

Abstract Permanent impairment cannot be assessed until the patient is at maximum medical improvement (MMI), but the proper time to test following carpal tunnel release often is not clear. The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides) states: “Factors affecting nerve recovery in compression lesions include nerve fiber pathology, level of injury, duration of injury, and status of end organs,” but age is not prognostic. The AMA Guides clarifies: “High axonotmesis lesions may take 1 to 2 years for maximum recovery, whereas even lesions at the wrist may take 6 to 9 months for maximal recovery of nerve function.” The authors review 3 studies that followed patients’ long-term recovery of hand function after open carpal tunnel release surgery and found that estimates of MMI ranged from 25 weeks to 24 months (for “significant improvement”) to 18 to 24 months. The authors suggest that if the early results of surgery suggest a patient's improvement in the activities of daily living (ADL) and an examination shows few or no symptoms, the result can be assessed early. If major symptoms and ADL problems persist, the examiner should wait at least 6 to 12 months, until symptoms appear to stop improving. A patient with carpal tunnel syndrome who declines a release can be rated for impairment, and, as appropriate, the physician may wish to make a written note of this in the medical evaluation report.

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Clinical Update: Understanding Causation: An Example Using Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Guides Newsletter ◽

10.1001/amaguidesnewsletters.2007.novdec02 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 5-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

J. Mark Melhorn

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ◽

Carpal Tunnel ◽

Legal Responsibility ◽

Medical Evidence ◽

Anatomic Structure ◽

Legal Professionals ◽

Compensation Systems ◽

Tunnel Syndrome ◽

Four Levels

Abstract Medical evidence is drawn from observation, is multifactorial, and relies on the laws of probability rather than a single cause, but, in law, finding causation between a wrongful act and harm is essential to the attribution of legal responsibility. These different perspectives often result in dissatisfaction for litigants, uncertainty for judges, and friction between health care and legal professionals. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) provides an example: Popular notions suggest that CTS results from occupational arm or hand use, but medical factors range from congenital or acquired anatomic structure, age, sex, and body mass index, and perhaps also involving hormonal disorders, diabetes, pregnancy, and others. The law separately considers two separate components of causation: cause in fact (a cause-and-effect relationship exists) and proximate or legal cause (two events are so closely related that liability can be attached to the first event). Workers’ compensation systems are a genuine, no-fault form of insurance, and evaluators should be aware of the relevant thresholds and legal definitions for the jurisdiction in which they provide an opinion. The AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment contains a large number of specific references and outlines the methodology to evaluate CTS, including both occupational and nonoccupational risk factors and assigning one of four levels of evidence that supports the conclusion.

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