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DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1718509
Supracondylar Apophysis of the Humerus: Rare Cause of High Compression of the Median Nerve[*]
Article in several languages: português | English
Abstract
Supracondylar apophysis (SA) is a bony prominence that originates from the anteromedial aspect of the distal humerus with a lower projection and which, although usually asymptomatic, due to the relationship with adjacent structures can cause symptoms. We describe the case of a 42-year-old woman with pain complaints radiating from her elbow to her hand, with 6 months of evolution. On objective examination, the patient had a sensory deficit in the median nerve territory and decreased grip strength. Radiographs of the distal humerus were performed, in which a bone spike was visible, and magnetic resonance imaging showed thickening of the median nerve epineurium. Electromyography showed severe axonal demyelination of the median nerve proximal to the elbow. A median nerve compression caused by a SA was diagnosed. The patient underwent surgery and, 1 year after the operation, she had a complete clinical recovery. Supracondylar apophysis is a rare, but possible and treatable cause of high median nerve compression.
* Work developed at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal.
Financial Support
The authors declare that they have received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of the present article.
Publication History
Received: 29 April 2020
Accepted: 06 July 2020
Article published online:
29 October 2020
© 2020. Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. Published by Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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