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Tendon injury produces changes in SSCT and nerve physiology similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in an in vivo rabbit model

  • Surgery Articles
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HAND

Abstract

Background

The etiology of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) remains idiopathic in many cases. Noninflammatory fibrosis of the subsynovial connective tissue (SSCT) within the carpal tunnel is common in CTS, and some clinicians have hypothesized that this fibrosis might be a cause rather than an effect of CTS. An animal model in which to test this hypothesis would be useful. The principal objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a surgical injury on SSCT fibrosis and median nerve function within the carpal tunnel in an in vivo rabbit model.

Methods

Rabbits were sacrificed 12 weeks after surgery and were evaluated by mechanical testing, histology, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and electrophysiology.

Results

SSCT fibroblast density (p < 0.0001) and collagen fiber size (p = 0.0004) were significantly higher, and the median nerve distal motor amplitude was significantly lower (p = 0.0018), in the tendon injury group SSCT than in either the sham or control groups.

Conclusions

Our findings are similar to those seen in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and suggest that the tendon injury procedure may be the basis of a new animal model of SSCT injury and, possibly, CTS.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from NIH (NIAMS AR 49823). The authors sincerely thank Ramona L. Kirk for her assistance with animal care.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Tamami Moriya, Chunfeng Zhao, Kai-Nan An & Peter C. Amadio

  2. Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Stephen S. Cha

  3. Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    James D. Schmelzer & Phillip A. Low

Authors
  1. Tamami Moriya
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  2. Chunfeng Zhao
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  3. Stephen S. Cha
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  4. James D. Schmelzer
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  5. Phillip A. Low
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  6. Kai-Nan An
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  7. Peter C. Amadio
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter C. Amadio.

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Moriya, T., Zhao, C., Cha, S.S. et al. Tendon injury produces changes in SSCT and nerve physiology similar to carpal tunnel syndrome in an in vivo rabbit model. HAND 6, 399–407 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-011-9356-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-011-9356-2

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