Bifid median nerve in a patient with carpal tunnel syndrome--correlation of clinical, diagnostic and intraoperative findings: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

A young patient with symptoms of median nerve compression in carpal tunnel without known risk factors is presented. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed an anatomical variation of the median nerve in carpal tunnel, described in the literature as bifid median nerve. The knowledge of the existence ofbifid median nerve is important in planning surgical decompression of median nerve to avoid nerve injury or potential relapse if decompression of both branches has not been done. Carpal tunnel ultrasonography is a noninvasive, reliable and available diagnostic tool to diagnose bifid median nerve.