Can Sonography Replace Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Velocity in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

SAN DIEGO (April 17, 2019) — Winner of the AANS International Travel Scholarship, Ashraf A. El Badry, MD, IFAANS, presented his research, Can Sonography Replace Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Velocity in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?, during the 2019 American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting.

This study was conducted to justify the efficacy of the ultrasonography (US) in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in the postoperative follow-up in comparison to electrodiagnostic tests, like electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV).

One hundred CTS patients were documented through clinically, electrophysiologically and intraoperatively grading by using the Tuncali grading system (TGS), in Mansoura University Hospital, Insurance Hospital and EL Ahrar. All patients were evaluated pre and postoperatively by both the gold standard invasive electrodiagnostic (EMG, NCV) and the new noninvasive US tests.

US showed improvement of morphological criteria (within 3 weeks) than the betterment of the function by electrodiagnostic (after 6 months) in the postoperative follow up of CTS cases. Therefore, US examination for CTS can possibly be done without the need for other invasive investigations.

Author Block: Ashraf A. El Badry, MD, IFAANS (Mansoura City, Egypt, Arab Rep.)

Disclosure: The author reported no conflicts of interest.

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Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 11,500 members worldwide. The AANS promotes the highest quality of patient care and advances the specialty of neurological surgery. Fellows of the AANS are board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, A.C. Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the spinal column, spinal cord, brain, nervous system and peripheral nerves.

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