NERVE CONDUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR CARPAL

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most com-mon entrapment neuropathy in the upper limbs1, 2. P rospective population-based studies have shown a prevalence of 5.8 % in women and 0.6 % in men in the Netherlands3 and 2.7 % in Southern Sweden4. E l e c t rodiagnostic confirmation, particularly nerv e conduction studies (NCS), are the most import a n t, useful and quick tool for diagnosis, mainly in mild cases5.In the last two decades several new tech-niques of NCS have been incorporated for CTS e l e c t rodiagnosis. Comparison of median sensory or mixed latencies to ulnar or radial nerves in the same limb becomes a very common practice6.In theory, the biologic variation in conduction velocity from person to person due to age and genetic diff e re n c e s can be controlled by comparison of the speed of n e rve conduction from one nerve to another in the same limb7