Türk Nöroşirürji Dergisi 2011 , Vol 21 , Num 3
A Rare Cause of Total Radial Nerve Palsy; Ganglion of the Radioulnar Joint
Burhan ÖZALP1,2, Atakan AYDIN1, Metin ERER1
1İstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul Tıp Fakültesi, Plastik ve Rekonstrüktif Cerrahi Anabilim Dalı, İstanbul, Türkiye
2Dicle Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Plastik ve Rekonstrüktif Cerrahi Anabilim Dalı, Diyarbakır, Türkiye
Ganglion cysts are the most common masses requiring surgical intervention in the upper extremity. Although they usually originate from the scapholunate joint, they might occur anywhere from the shoulder to the distal interphalangial joint of the finger. We report a 38-year-old woman who underwent surgery for resection of a ganglion of the proximal radioulnar joint. Medical history included a 1-year history of a growing lump that caused weakness of the elbow and finger extension with numbness and tingling in the area supplied by the radial nerve in the last two months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a fluid-filled cyst that originated from the proximal radioulnar joint while electromyelography (EMG) revealed a conduction block just distal to the wrist. During surgery, both of the two terminal branches of the radial nerve seemed to be stretched by the ganglion, which was totally resected together with its part on the joint surface. Complete clinical recovery of radial nerve function was observed at the postoperative fourth month. Anahtar Kelimeler : Ganglion cysts, Radial nerve, Nerve compression