Acute carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to radiation treatment: A case report.

Carpal tunnel syndrome has a prevalence of 1% to 10%, and while acute carpal tunnel syndrome makes up the minority of cases of this compression neuropathy, it is important to recognize as a distinct entity because prompt surgical treatment can decrease long-term morbidity. The most common causes of acute carpal tunnel syndrome are trauma to the hand or wrist, infection, and disorders of rheumatological, hemorrhagic and vascular origin. The present case report demonstrates the role of radiation therapy as a cause for acute carpal tunnel syndrome, a cause that has not been reported previously.