Atypical carpal tunnel syndrome due to the presence of Martin- Gruber anastomosis
Introduction: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is compressive neuropathy of median nerve at the point where the nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, and it is the most common compressive neuropathy. Classic symptoms include pain, paresthesia, numbness, swelling, weakness and clumsiness of fingers (typically in the first three fingers). CTS can occur in one or both hands. Case presentation: We report a patient with carpal tunnel syndrome in the presence of Martin-Gruber anastomosis (median to ulnar anastomosis in the forearm) with atypical clinical presentation of CTS in terms of numbness of the first three fingers of the right hand and unexpected electromyoneurography examination (absurdly high speed motor velocity through the median nerve). Conclusion: The presence of anomalous communications between median and ulnar nerves (MGA anastomosis) is not so rare condition and we have to keep in mind this fact in routine clinical and neuropysiological examination to avoid some diagnostic mistakes.