抄録
We performed nerve conduction studies in 30 patients (41 hands) with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We measured the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and the 2nd lumbrical muscle (L2). The potentials of these muscles were compared for selection of the treatment for CTS. The CTS patients were classified according to the abnormalities of the APB and L2. In 24% terminal latency (TL) of APB was longer than that of L2. In 7% no CMAP was recordable for APB while that of L2 was recordable. The TL of APB and L2 were similar in 59%. We examined the process of recovery in 17 patients (20 hands) at more than 2 months after ECTR. In 4 cases, the CMAP of the APB was not recordable preoperatively and only that of L2 showed recovery. In one case where recovery of the CMAP of the APB was not good, we considered that the recurrent branch of the median nerve was predominantly involved. In cases like this the value of ECTR is debatable.
