ELECTRODIAGNOSTIC REPORTS OF MEDIAN NEUROPATHY AT THE WRIST

The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is confirmed by electrod iagnostic testing. Practice parameters for electrodiagnostic testing o i CTS have been defined in a summary statement published by the Americ an Academy of Neurology, the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilit ation. All members of the Industrial Injuries and Prevention Committee of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand provided electrodiagn ostic reports from their office practices indicating an electrodiagnos is of CTS or median neuropathy at the wrist. One hundred consecutive r eports were analyzed to determine how often these electrodiagnostic st udies adhered to the standards and guidelines of the summary statement . Variability in the thoroughness of the studies, hence in the quality of information in the reports, was noted. The clinical implications o f this survey are that some patients were diagnosed and treated for CT S who did not have median neuropathy at the wrist. Copyright (C) 1998 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.