1. [Ischemia of the arm with finger necroses: differential carpal tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis].
- Author
-
Schelo C, Kröger K, Hinrichs A, Rensing N, and Rudofsky G
- Subjects
- Adult, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome surgery, Diagnosis, Differential, Humans, Male, Necrosis, Occupational Diseases surgery, Postoperative Complications diagnosis, Postoperative Complications surgery, Reoperation, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery, Arm blood supply, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome diagnosis, Fingers blood supply, Ischemia etiology, Occupational Diseases diagnosis, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome diagnosis
- Abstract
Upper extremity ischemia with finger necrosis: carpal-tunnel syndrome or thoracic outlet syndrome? A 26-year-old male patient complained of pain paraesthesia in the right upper extremity while working with the arm elevated. After electrophysiological diagnosis of a carpal-tunnel-syndrome the patient received surgical treatment. Following this treatment he developed acral necrosis at the fingers. Additional diagnostic effort let to the diagnosis of a thoracic-outlet-syndrome due to a cervical rib. This case report and a review of the literature show that electrophysiological investigations alone can not differentiate the carpal-tunnel-syndrome from the thoracic-outlet-syndrome. Thus an operative release of a carpal-tunnel should not be performed until the arterial perfusion of the upper extremity has been judged.
- Published
- 1997