MR findings in post-traumatic carpal tunnel syndrome

Stenosis of the canal secondary to poor consolidation of fractures of the distal radial epiphysis is one of the causes of compression on the median nerve of the wrist. Other post-traumatic compressive pathologies of the median nerve when there are no significant skeletal modifications caused by probable involvement of the soft tissues surrounding and within the canal are also described. MR was used to study 23 patients affected with the sequelae of fracture of the radial distal epiphysis who presented with clinical and electromyographic signs of carpal tunnel syndrome, and were submitted to decompressive surgery. MR showed indirect signs of compression, such as morphological changes of the median nerve, as well as post-traumatic changes in the carpal canal. MR allows for a complete anatomical view of the canal structures implicated in causing post-traumatic carpal tunnel syndrome.