Carpal tunnel syndrome in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Neurology
• Clinical Electrophysiology

Background:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is infrequently diagnosed in pediatric populations.
• Idiopathic CTS is particularly rare in children, suggesting underlying etiologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics and underlying causes of carpal tunnel syndrome in pediatric patients.
• To highlight the diagnostic challenges and differential considerations for CTS in children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 11 pediatric patients (aged 5-17) diagnosed with CTS.
• Nerve conduction studies performed per American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine guidelines.
• Wrist imaging utilized in 10 patients.

Main Results:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome was secondary in 10 out of 11 pediatric cases.
• Identified secondary causes included congenital bone anomalies (6), hypothyroidism (2), myopathic contractures (1), and mucopolysaccharidosis (1).
• Idiopathic CTS occurred in only one patient.

Conclusions:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome in children is rarely idiopathic and frequently associated with underlying conditions.
• Presenting symptoms in pediatric CTS often involve hand clumsiness and thenar hypoplasia, differing from typical adult presentations.
• A comprehensive differential diagnosis is crucial for pediatric CTS cases due to their predominantly secondary nature.