Pseudogout: A Rare Cause of Acute Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Acute Guyon Canal Syndrome

Forrest Rackard; Jorge Lujan-Hernandez; Vijay Vanguri; Douglas Rothkopf

doi:10.1016/j.jhsg.2022.07.010

Pseudogout: A Rare Cause of Acute Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Acute Guyon Canal Syndrome

J Hand Surg Glob Online. 2022 Aug 19;4(6):375-378. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsg.2022.07.010. eCollection 2022 Nov.

Authors

Forrest Rackard¹, Jorge Lujan-Hernandez², Vijay Vanguri³, Douglas Rothkopf²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA.
² Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA.
³ Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA.

Abstract

Pseudogout is an acute inflammatory arthropathy that often presents as a hot, swollen, painful joint. Rarely, the inflammatory response caused by pseudogout has led to acute neuropathic symptoms of the hand. We present a case of pseudogout causing acute neuropathic symptoms in the median and ulnar nerves, ultimately necessitating urgent surgical decompression. The patient's symptoms were alleviated after surgical decompression. Pseudogout should be considered a rare cause of acute neuropathic compression of the hand. Its management may require surgical intervention and should involve postoperative follow-up with a rheumatologist.

Keywords: Acute Guyon canal syndrome; Acute carpal tunnel syndrome; Gout; Median nerve; Pseudogout.

Publication types

Case Reports