Study of Prevalence of Martin-Gruber Anomaly in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Median-Ulnar connection in the forearm, also known as the Martin-Gruber communication (MGC), is a common anatomic nerve anomaly with the incidence from 5% to 34% in the normal population. Knowledge of this anomaly is of crucial importance in evaluation of injuries of Median and Ulnar nerves; as well as in accurate interpretation of the nerve conduction velocity of these nerves. This study aimed at evaluating the frequency of martin - Gruber communication and its common types in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). 151 patients with definite diagnosed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by electro-diagnostic method (123 females and 28 males with the mean age of 46.42+/_11.21 years) were enrolled in the study over a 13 months period. 19 patients (12.6 %) -13 females, 6 males-had MGC. In 285 upper extremities with carpal tunnel syndrome, 25 (8.8%) cases had martin - Gruber communication. Types 1, 2 and 3 of this anomaly were seen in 7 (43.8%), 14 (87.5%), 6 (37.5%) patients respectively. In our study the prevalence of Martin - Gruber connection in the patients with carpal tunnel syndrome was within the same range as in literature, however lower than the mean reported value. MGC Type 2 was the most common type in patients with CTS.