The Carpal Tunnel

Question 1

What are the two borders of the carpal tunnel?

Answer 1

Deep carpal arch and the superfical flexor retinalculum

Question 2

Describe some features of the carpal arch:

Answer 2

Concave on the palmar side, formed laterally by the scaphoid and the trapezium, and formed medially by the hook of hamate and the pisiform

Question 3

Describe some features of the flexor retinaculum:

Answer 3

Thick connective tissue, turns carpa arch into a carpal tunnel, orignates on lateral surface of the carpal arch and inserts into the medial side of the carpal arch.

Question 4

What are the contents of the carpal tunnel?

Answer 4

The median nerve, the tendon of the flexor pollicus longus, the 4 tendons of the flexor digitorum profundus, and the 4 tendons of the flexor digitorum superficalus.

Question 5

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 5

Compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, can cause weakness or atrophy of the thenar muscles, and there is comments on numbness, tingling and pain in the disrtubution of the median nerve.

Question 6

How do you test for Carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 6

Tapping nerve in the carpal tunnel to elicit pain in the median nerve distribution, called tinnels sign, and holding the wrist in flexion for 60 seconds to elicit pain in the median nerve distribution, which is called Phalens manovure

Question 7

How do you treat carpal tunnel syndrome?

Answer 7

You use a splint which holds the wrist in Felxion overnight, or if this does not work you could use corticosteroid injections or surgical decompression.