Tendon of Flexor Carpi Radialis in carpal tunnel: a radiologic and cadaveric study

Authors: BURCU ERÇAKMAK GÜNEŞ, ALPER VATANSEVER, MEHMET DENİZ DEMİRYÜREK, KADRİYE MİNE ERGUN, MEHMET HAKAN ÖZSOY

Abstract: Background/aim: Carpal tunnel is an important anatomical passage that carries the flexor tendons into the hand. As there is still no consensus about its contents among the anatomy textbooks, the main purpose of this study was to identify the relations of the flexor carpi radialis tendon in the carpal tunnel. Materials and methods: This retrospective study was completed in April 2018 at authors' university's hospital. Seventy-four female and 44 male patients' wrists without any pathology were examined by using magnetic resonance images. The series of axial sections where the pisiform exist were evaluated by using T1 sequence and the structures in the carpal tunnel were identified. Results: Results of this study showed that the tendon of the flexor carpi radialis was found above the flexor retinaculum within its own septal compartment in all patients. Conclusion: According to the results, tendon of flexor carpi radialis crosses the wrist region superficial to the carpal tunnel. Thus, tendon of flexor carpi radialis doesn't have any effect on the carpal tunnel syndrome. Further cadaveric studies would be useful for identifying the contents of the carpal tunnel and morphological organization of the wrist.

Keywords: Cadaver, carpal tunnel, flexor carpi radialis, magnetic resonance imaging, wrist anatomy

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