Motor versus Sensory Nerve Conduction Monitoring of Median Nerve during Carpal Tunnel Surgery

Background/Aim: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common compressive, canalicular neuropathies of the upper extremities, causing hand pain and impaired function. This clinical study was designed to compare the intraoperative median nerve distal motor latency (DML) versus the distal sensory latency (DSL) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) during surgical treatment of CTS. Patients and Methods: A total number of 36 wrists in 30 patients with CTS diagnosed by preoperative median MNCS who underwent surgical intervention for median nerve release. Intraoperative measurements of motor distal latency (DML) and proximal latency, amplitude, and conduction velocity and distal sensory latency (DSL), amplitude, and conduction velocity of both the median and ulnar nerves before and after division of the flexor retinaculum (FR). Results: A significant decrease of the intraoperative median nerve distal motor latency (DML) after release (8.89 ± 0.93) in comparison with the preoperative median nerve DML (6.24 ± 1.06) with (p < 0.001*). But intraoperative distal sensory latency (DSL) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCVM) show non-significant decrease (p = 0.161). Conclusion: Intraoperative monitoring of median nerve show rapidly improve Intraoperative motor nerve conduction than the sensory nerve conduction after release the FR during carpal tunnel surgery.