50 patients with acromegaly and carpal tunnel syndrome have been examined electrophysiologically before and after transnasal operation of the pituitary adenoma. 32 of the 50 patients (64%) had symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. 13 of them had neurological deficits. 28 of the examined patients had pathological neurographical findings only.
About 1 week post-operatively DL was decreased in 43%; in 10 out of 13 patients with neurological deficits DL decreased. GH was normalized in 80% and reduced to 5–10
g/1 in a further 10%.
The investigation did not show whether the carpal tunnel syndrome only depended on a GH increase or on other factors also such ase.g., on the duration of symptoms or tissue changes. None of the patients had the transversal carpal ligament operated on.
The coincidence between acromegaly and carpal tunnel syndrome was 64%. In 3 cases the carpal tunnel syndrome was the leading sign to the diagnosis of acromegaly.
Keywords Carpal tunnel syndrome - Acromegaly - electroneurographic findings
Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Friedrich Loew on the occasion of his 65th birthday and the 25th anniversary of the Homburg Neurosurgerical University Clinic, which has been founded and built up by him.