Acute carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to pyogenic infection of the forearm.

Abstract

AS JUDGED by the number of reports in the literature, the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome presently is rather popular1,2and is being made more frequently than in the past. Most of these reports deal with a chronic syndrome; indeed, a complete review of the English-language literature reveals that only three reports mention an acute carpal tunnel syndrome. One of these3only mentions it as a possibility, but does not give additional details. Two reports4, 5describe five cases, all secondary to an infectious process within the hand. We can find no evidence of a report of an acute case secondary to infection in the forearm and accordingly the following case is presented. Report of a Case A 10-yr-old female was admitted to the Tripler Army Hospital because of a pyogenic infection of the flexor surface of the left forearm secondary to a previous puncture wound and