RADICOLOPATIE CERVICALI E SINDROMI DA COMPRESSIONE NERVOSA PERIFERICA DELL'ARTO SUPERIORE: DIAGNOSI DI DOUBLE CRUSH SYNDROME

Cervical radiculopathy and peripheral nerve compressive syndromes of the upper extremity: double crush syndrome diagnosis. SUMMARY Between January 1998 and June 2001, we treated 945 patients with peripheral neural compressions of the upper extremities: 832 of these patients suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome, 72 from Guyon canal syndrome ad 41 from cubital canal syndrome. Twenty two percent of such patients had a C5-C8 cervical spondylosis and 12% had bilateral symptoms. The aim of the present retrospective study was to show that patients with peripheral neural compressions of the upper extremities can be also affected by related cervical conditions, thus making the surgical treatment of the neural compression less effective and long-lasting. Clinical tests, plain radiograms and electrophysiologic exams are particularly effective in detecting the presence of a double crush syndrome, thus making an accurate diagnosis possible and lowering the failure rate of surgical treatments. Riv Chir Mano 2002; 39: 196-199