Editing Carpal tunnel syndrome (section)

== Anatomy ==
[[File:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.png|thumb|right|Anatomy of the carpal tunnel, showing the median nerve passing through the tight space it shares with the finger tendons]]{{Main|Carpal tunnel}}
The carpal tunnel is an anatomical compartment located at the base of the palm. Nine flexor tendons and the median nerve pass through the carpal tunnel that is surrounded on three sides by the carpal bones that form an arch. The median nerve provides feeling or sensation to the thumb, index finger, long finger, and half of the ring finger. At the level of the wrist, the median nerve supplies the muscles at the base of the thumb that allow it to abduct, move away from the other four fingers, as well as move out of the plane of the palm. The carpal tunnel is located at the middle third of the base of the palm, bounded by the bony prominence of the scaphoid tubercle and trapezium at the base of the thumb, and the [[hamate]] hook that can be palpated along the axis of the ring finger. From the anatomical position, the carpal tunnel is bordered on the anterior surface by the transverse carpal ligament, also known as the [[Flexor retinaculum of the hand|flexor retinaculum]]. The flexor retinaculum is a strong, fibrous band that attaches to the pisiform and the hamulus of the hamate. The proximal boundary is the distal wrist skin crease, and the distal boundary is approximated by a line known as [[Kaplan's cardinal line]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Brooks JJ, Schiller JR, Allen SD, Akelman E | title = Biomechanical and anatomical consequences of carpal tunnel release | journal = Clinical Biomechanics | volume = 18 | issue = 8 | pages = 685–693 | date = October 2003 | pmid = 12957554 | doi = 10.1016/S0268-0033(03)00052-4 }}</ref> This line uses surface landmarks, and is drawn between the apex of the skin fold between the thumb and index finger to the palpated hamate hook.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Vella JC, Hartigan BJ, Stern PJ | title = Kaplan's cardinal line | journal = The Journal of Hand Surgery | volume = 31 | issue = 6 | pages = 912–918 | date = Jul–Aug 2006 | pmid = 16843150 | doi = 10.1016/j.jhsa.2006.03.009 }}</ref>