Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome presenting with symptoms in an ulnar nerve distribution: A prospective study.

Introduction: Patients presenting with symptoms of pain/paresthesias primarily in an ulnar nerve distribution may be noted to have exclusive median mononeuropathy at the wrist on subsequent electrodiagnostic testing. There has been limited research looking at the prevalence of this clinical presentation.

Methods: A cohort of adults were surveyed to assess for severity and localization of hand symptoms using the Katz hand diagram and Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire Symptoms Severity Scale. Thirty volunteers met our case definition for ulnar neuropathy and underwent a standardized physical examination, electrodiagnostic testing, and nerve ultrasound.

Results: Eleven of 30 subjects (37%) were found to have exclusive median mononeuropathy at the wrist.

Discussion: Carpal tunnel syndrome should remain high on the differential for patients presenting with symptoms of pain/paresthesias primarily in an ulnar nerve distribution. Muscle Nerve 59:60-63, 2019.