Precalence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Cervical Radiculopathy

J Korean Assoc EMG Electrodiagn Med 1999;1(1):37-41.
Published online January 1, 1999.

Abstract

Objectives : To investigate the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome among subjects with cervical radiculopathy and whether it is explainable by the double crush hypothesis. Method : We retrospectively reviewed electrodiagnostic records of 396 cervical radiculopathy cases(419 Limbs). Cervical radiculopathy were diagnosed by electromyography. Median and ulnar nerve conduction studies were done at least one limb with cervical radiculopathy had anatomically correlated distal nerve lesion, i.e., C6-7 radiculopathy with abnormal median sensory nerve conduction studies, C8-T1 radiculopathy with abnormal median motor nerve conduction studies or C6-T1 radiculopathy with both median motor and sensory conduction abnormalities. When considering axonal involvement in abductor pollicis brevis muscle, 0.2% of total limbs had proximal and distal nerve lesion explainable by double crush hypothesis. Conclusion : The prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome among cervical radiculopathy was not so high as expected. We should be more conservative to use the term 'double crush syndrome' until definitive neurophysiological and clinical evidences are obvious.

Key Words: Double crush syndrome, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Cervical radiculopathy