Diagnosi, trattamento e follow up di un caso di compressione del nervo ulnare al carpo secondaria a lipoma

The Authors describe a case of compression neuropathy of the ulnar nerve in Guyon's tunnel, caused by a large lipoma. The patient, a 64 years old countrywoman, underwent electrophysiological study both preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively after one, two and ten months. Conduction values were already back to normal at the first postoperative check. Lipomas of the ulnar tunnel at the wrist are less common than synovial cysts and being less firm than the latter become symptomatic later. In this patient the damage involved only the myelin sheath (neuroapraxia) and was therefore reversible; in such cases surgery is mandatory to avoid subsequent axon damage.