BackgroundThoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is largely overlooked in children and adolescents because the condition is not widely viewed as a pediatric disorder. This study aimed to clarify the causes, best treatment approaches, and prognosis for young patients with TOS.MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on 13 patients, from 4 to 13 years of age, with TOS. Ten children underwent surgical treatment, and three were treated conservatively. All patients received local nerve blocks on two occasions and were followed-up for more than 2 years.ResultsAmong the 10 children who underwent surgery, six school-aged children returned to school 10 to 14 days after surgery. Parents of the three children treated conservatively reported that activity within the affected limb and overall muscle strength had increased in their children and none of the three children had complained about discomfort in the affected limb.ConclusionA diagnosis of TOS should be considered when a child or adolescent has neck and shoulder discomfort, hand numbness, and upper limb weakness. As with adults with TOS, detailed physical examination is the key to diagnosing pediatric TOS. Conservative treatment is effective for young TOS patients who have mild changes in the length and thickness of the affected limb and is an option when parents refuse surgical treatment.
Although ultrasound measurements have been used in previous studies on carpal tunnel syndrome to visualize injury to the median nerve, whether such ultrasound data can indicate the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome remains controversial. The cross-sectional areas of the median nerve at the tunnel inlet and outlet can show swelling and compression of the nerve at the carpal. We hypothesized that the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel inlet to outlet accurately reflects the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome. To test this, high-resolution ultrasound with a linear array transducer at 5–17 MHz was used to assess 77 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. The results showed that the cut-off point for the inlet-to-outlet ratio was 1.14. Significant differences in the inlet-to-outlet ratio were found among patients with mild, moderate, and severe carpal tunnel syndrome. The cut-off point in the ratio of cross-sectional areas of the median nerve was 1.29 between mild and more severe (moderate and severe) carpal tunnel syndrome patients with 64.7% sensitivity and 72.7% specificity. The cut-off point in the ratio of cross-sectional areas of the median nerve was 1.52 between the moderate and severe carpal tunnel syndrome patients with 80.0% sensitivity and 64.7% specificity. These results suggest that the inlet-to-outlet ratio reflected the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.