1. Electrodiagnostic description of a rare variant of Berrettini anastomois: A case report
- Author
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Santosh L Wakode, Naveen Ravi, and Amit Agrawal
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,EDX, electrodiagnosis ,Median nerve ,Sensory system ,Case Report ,Anastomosis ,D4, ring finger ,NCS, nerve conduction study ,UN, ulnar nerve ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,MN, median nerve ,Palmar sensory communicating branch ,medicine ,Ulnar nerve ,BA, Berrettini anastomosis ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,CMAP, compound muscle action potential ,business.industry ,Electrodiagnosis ,Nerve conduction study ,D5, little finger ,D3, middle finger ,SNAP, sensory nerve action potential ,Numerical digit ,Surgery ,body regions ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,030211 gastroenterology & hepatology ,business ,Palm ,D2, index finger ,Sensory nerve ,Berrettini anastomosis - Abstract
Highlights • In Berrettinni anastomosis, frequently a sensory communicating branch from ulnar nerve supplies digit 3. • Despite anatomical evidence of ulnar communicating branch providing sensory supply to digit 2, there are no electrodiagnostic descriptions of the same. • Electrodiagnostic findings in a patient with median nerve laceration were suggestive of ulnar sensory innervation of digit 2. • Knowledge of existence of these communications and their electrodiagnostic features can prevent misdiagnosis and iatrogenic injuries., Introduction Berrettini Anastomosis is a common purely sensory anastomosis between ulnar and median nerves in palm. Here, via a communicating branch, ulnar nerve can provide sensory supply to digits 3 and 2.There have been electrodiagnostic (EDX) descriptions of the former. However, till date, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no EDX descriptions of the latter. Here, in our case report we would like to describe first instance of the same. Presentation of case During an assault with a knife a 25-year-old male sustained laceration injury of right median nerve and flexor tendons which were repaired surgically. During rehabilitation, a nerve conduction study (NCS) was performed which incidentally revealed that ulnar nerve was responsible for sensory innervation of digit 2. Discussion Until recently, it was generally believed that EDX of BA was not possible. However, recent studies on EDX features in BA, have recorded small sensory nerve action potentials (SNAP) from digit 3 on distal ulnar nerve stimulation. But there are no published reports where SNAP from digit 2 on ulnar nerve stimulation were studied, even though anatomical evidence of the same exists. In our patient, we incidentally recorded the same. Conclusion Although our patient had a complete laceration of median nerve, he did not have major sensory disturbances. NCS findings suggested sensory supply of digits 5, 4, 3 and 2 were by ulnar nerve. Without adequate knowledge of communicating branch crossovers in palm, there is a possibility that clinical findings can be misdiagnosed and NCS features can be misinterpreted. For surgeons, awareness of these communicating branches can prevent iatrogenic injuries during surgical interventions.
- Published
- 2020