Ultrasound-guided evaluation of the Median nerve at the level of the carpal canal and ulnar nerve
The median nerve is the main nerve of the front of the forearm. It supplies the muscles of the front of the forearm and muscles of the thenar eminence, thus controlling the coarse movements of the hand. It is also called “labourer’s nerve”.
It arises by two roots, one from the lateral and one from the medial cord of the brachial plexus; these embrace the lower part of the axillary artery, uniting either in front of or lateral to that vessel. Its fibres are derived from the sixth, seventh, and eighth cervical and first thoracic nerves.
In the forearm, the nerve travels between the flexor digitorum profundus and flexor digitorum superficialis muscles. The median nerve joins the hand through the carpal tunnel after handing off the anterior interosseous and palmar cutaneous branches.
The median nerve (MN) may be affected by various peripheral neuropathies, each of which may be categorized according to its cause, as either an extrinsic (due to entrapment or nerve compression) or an intrinsic (including neurogenic tumors) neuropathy.
For instance, Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist level and the most common entrapment neuropathy in the upper extremity. It can be treated with surgical or non-surgical methods, when non-surgical treatment is indicated; a local corticosteroid injection into the carpal tunnel can be used to relieve pain and tingling sensation.
A study on the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided carpal tunnel injection has shown that direct needle injury of the median nerve is frequent and leakage of the corticosteroid injectate from the carpal canal causes complications such as fat tissue atrophy and skin colour changes. Thus precise injection into the carpal tunnel is important.
Ultrasound (US)-guided injection can visually validate successful injection inside the carpal canal, reducing patient anxiety and the risk of median nerve damage.
Using a high-frequency linear ultrasound scanner is highly recommended during the evaluation of the median nerve at the level of the carpal canal and ulnar nerve. As the USB 6-5 MHz Linear Ultrasound Probe SIFULTRAS-9.54 which has multiple frequencies from 5 to 12MHz and a scanning mode of B, B+B , B+m with high-resolution imaging for Superfitional applications such as Vascular and Nerve, etc…
With its sealed head and its USB connector, a steady ultrasound signal makes the signal transmission faster, an amazing image quality that guides the medical professional to a clear decision plus it is easy to carry. SIFULTRAS-9.54 can also reveal the causes of nerve compression when structural abnormalities or space-occupying lesions are present.
References: Median Nerve, The median nerve, Ultrasonography for nerve compression syndromes of the upper extremity, Assessment of Median Nerve Mobility by Ultrasound Dynamic Imaging for Diagnosing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome,
