Pronator teres syndrome | |
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Median nerve displayed | |
Classification and external resources | |
Specialty | neurology |
ICD-10 | G56.0, G56.1 |
ICD-9-CM | 354.0, 354.1 |
Pronator teres syndrome is a compression neuropathy of the median nerve at the elbow. It is rare compared to compression at the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome) or isolated injury of the anterior interosseous branch of the median nerve (anterior interosseous syndrome).
Compression of the median nerve in the region of the elbow or proximal part of the forearm can cause pain and/or numbness in the distribution of the distal median nerve, and weakness of the muscles innervated by the anterior interosseous nerve: the flexor pollicis longus ("FPL"), the flexor digitorum profundus of the index finger ("FDP IF"), and the pronator quadratus ("PQ").
The most common cause is entrapment of the median nerve between the two heads of the pronator teres muscle. Other causes are compression of the nerve from the fibrous arch of the flexor superficialis, or the thickening of the bicipital aponeurosis.
The median nerve passes through the cubital fossa and passes between the two heads of pronator teres muscle into the forearm. It then runs between flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus muscles and enters the hand through the carpal tunnel.
It innervates most of the flexor muscles in the forearm and hand. Its sensory component supplies the skin of the palm, thumb, index and middle finger as well as half the ring finger, and the bones of the wrist.
In the proximal forearm it gives rise to the anterior interosseous nerve which innervates the flexor of the thumb (FPL), the flexor digitorum profundus of the index finger (FDP IF), and the pronator quadratus, and terminates in a sensory branch to the bones of the wrist, i.e., the carpal tunnel. Compression of the proximal median nerve results in weakness of these three muscles, and can cause aching pain in the wrist on the basis of the sensory nerve to the carpal bones.