Carpal tunnel syndrome in children

Abstract

Carpal tunnel syndrome rarely occurs in children. We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 11 patients aged 5-17 diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome at a single pediatric neuromuscular center. Nerve conduction studies were performed according to the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine recommendations. Additional imaging tests of the wrist were performed in 10 patients. In our group of 11 children, carpal tunnel syndrome was idiopathic in only 1 case. In the remaining subjects, it was secondary to congenital bone anomaly (6), hypothyroidism (2), or myopathic contractures (1). In 1 case, metabolic workup revealed an underlying mucopolysaccharidosis. Our results confirm that idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome is rare in children. Hand clumsiness and thenar hypoplasia rather than sensory complaints are the presenting symptoms. Whenever carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed in a child, a thorough differential diagnosis should be made because of the secondary nature of this disease in most pediatric patients.

Keywords: Cavanagh syndrome; carpal tunnel syndrome; childhood thenar atrophy; median nerve neuropathy.