Posttraumatic median neuroma: a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome associated with laceration of the median nerve in the distal forearm sometimes occurs. The presenting symptoms related to the initial trauma and the obvious sequelae of the nerve injury itself may focus attention on the neuroma, but the neurological disability may be due in great part to carpal tunnel compression of the nerve distal to the neuroma. Operative decompression usually results in prompt recovery. The possibility of post-traumatic carpal tunnel syndrome must be considered by those evaluating and caring for the primary nerve injury.