The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in the wrist that is made
of bones on three sides and a ligament (transverse carpal ligament) across the
wrist where the palm and forearm meet.
Inside the tunnel are:
Tendons, which are strong and flexible (but not
stretchable) bands of tissue that connect muscle to bone. The tendons are
surrounded by membranes (synovial membranes called tendon
sheaths).
The median nerve, which controls some movement in the
thumb and gives sensation to the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and half
of the ring finger.
Author
Monica Rhodes
Editor
Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor
Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer
William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer
David Pichora, MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery
Last Updated
November 3, 2006
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
November 03, 2006
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