Durkan test
Encyclopedia
Durkan's test is a procedure to diagnose a patient with carpal tunnel syndrome
. It is a new variation of Tinel's sign that was proposed by JA Durkan in 1991.
and holds pressure for 30 seconds. An onset of pain or paresthesia
in the median nerve distribution within 30 seconds is a positive result of the test.
and Phalen maneuver
.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an entrapment idiopathic median neuropathy, causing paresthesia, pain, and other symptoms in the distribution of the median nerve due to its compression at the wrist in the carpal tunnel. The pathophysiology is not completely understood but can be considered compression...
. It is a new variation of Tinel's sign that was proposed by JA Durkan in 1991.
Process
Examiner presses thumbs over carpal tunnelCarpal tunnel
In the human body, the carpal tunnel or carpal canal is the passageway on the palmar side of the wrist that connects the forearm to the middle compartment of the deep plane of the palm. The tunnel consists of bones and connective tissue...
and holds pressure for 30 seconds. An onset of pain or paresthesia
Paresthesia
Paresthesia , spelled "paraesthesia" in British English, is a sensation of tingling, burning, pricking, or numbness of a person's skin with no apparent long-term physical effect. It is more generally known as the feeling of "pins and needles" or of a limb "falling asleep"...
in the median nerve distribution within 30 seconds is a positive result of the test.
Accuracy
In studies of diagnostic accuracy, the sensitivity of Durkan's test ranged from 87% to 91% and its specificity from 90% to 95%.Comparison
Durkan's test is more sensitive than Tinel's signTinel's sign
Tinel's sign is a way to detect irritated nerves. It is performed by lightly tapping over the nerve to elicit a sensation of tingling or "pins and needles" in the distribution of the nerve.It takes its name from French neurologist Jules Tinel .For example, in carpal tunnel syndrome where the...
and Phalen maneuver
Phalen's maneuver
Phalen's maneuver is a diagnostic test for carpal tunnel syndrome discovered by an American orthopedist named George S. Phalen.-Process:The patient is asked to hold their wrist in complete and forced flexion for 30–60 seconds. The lumbricals attach in part to the flexor digitorum profundus tendons...
.