Abstract:

Objective To investigate the relationship between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and ulnar nerve entrapment at wrist with neural electrophysiological methods. Methods Twenty patients (22 wrists) with CTS (CTS group) and 20 healthy adults (20 wrists) (control group) were selected. Sensory conduction velocity, motor conduction velocity, distal sensory latency and distal motor latency of median nerve and ulnar nerve were measured and compared between two groups, and the differences in distal sensory latency between median nerve and ulnar nerve were calculated and compared between groups. Pearson correlation analysis was performed between sensory conduction velocity of median nerve and that of ulnar nerve in CTS group. Results Compared with control group, the sensory conduction velocity and motor conduction velocity of median nerve and the sensory conduction velocity of ulnar nerve were slower （P<0.05 or P<0.01），and the distal sensory latency of ulnar nerve were longer in CTS group （P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the motor conduction velocity and distal motor latency of ulnar nerve between two groups （P>0.05）. The difference in distal sensory latency between median nerve and ulnar nerve in CTS group was significantly larger than that in control group （P<0.05）. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the sensory conduction velocity of median nerve was significantly positively related to that of ulnar nerve in CTS group （r=0.802，P=0.002). Conclusion There is correlation between CTS and ulnar nerve entrapment at wrist, and ulnar nerve entrapment at wrist should be attached great importance when dealing with patients with CTS.

Key words: carpal tunnel syndrome, median nerve, ulnar nerve, entrapment