entrapment neuropathy

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any of numerous functional disturbances and pathologic changes in the peripheral nervous system. The etiology may be known (e.g., arsenical, diabetic, ischemic, or traumatic neuropathy) or unknown. encephalopathy and myelopathy are corresponding terms relating to involvement of the brain and spinal cord. The term is also used to designate noninflammatory lesions in the peripheral nervous system, in contrast to inflammatory lesions (neuritis). adj., adj neuropath´ic.
alcoholic neuropathy neuropathy due to thiamine deficiency in chronic alcoholism.
Denny-Brown's sensory neuropathy hereditary sensory radicular neuropathy.
diabetic neuropathy a complication of diabetes mellitus consisting of chronic symmetrical sensory polyneuropathy affecting first the nerves of the lower limbs and often affecting autonomic nerves. Pathologically, there is segmental demyelination of the peripheral nerves. An uncommon, acute form is marked by severe pain, weakness, and wasting of proximal and distal muscles, peripheral sensory impairment, and loss of tendon reflexes. With autonomic involvement there may be orthostatic hypotension, nocturnal diarrhea, retention of urine, impotence, and small diameter of the pupils with sluggish reaction to light.
entrapment neuropathy any of a group of neuropathies, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by mechanical pressure on a peripheral nerve.
hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN) any of a group of hereditary polyneuropathies involving muscle weakness, atrophy, sensory deficits, and vasomotor changes in the lower limbs. Some diseases in this group have been numbered: types I and II are varieties of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and type III is progressive hypertrophic neuropathy.
hereditary sensory neuropathy hereditary sensory radicular neuropathy.
hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN) any of several inherited neuropathies that involve slow ascendance of lesions of the sensory nerves, resulting in pain, distal trophic ulcers, and a variety of autonomic disturbances. Types include hereditary sensory radicular neuropathy and familial dysautonomia.
hereditary sensory radicular neuropathy a dominantly inherited polyneuropathy characterized by signs of radicular sensory loss in both the upper and lower limbs; shooting pains; chronic, indolent, trophic ulceration of the feet; and sometimes deafness. Called also hereditary sensory neuropathy and Denny-Brown's sensory neuropathy or syndrome.
Leber's optic neuropathy a maternally transmitted disorder characterized by bilateral progressive optic atrophy, with onset usually at about the age of twenty. Degeneration of the optic nerve and papillomacular bundle results in progressive loss of central vision that may remit spontaneously. It is much more common in males. Called also Leber's disease and Leber's optic atrophy.
progressive hypertrophic neuropathy a slowly progressive familial disease beginning in early life, marked by hyperplasia of interstitial connective tissue, causing thickening of peripheral nerve trunks and posterior roots, and by sclerosis of the posterior columns of the spinal cord, with atrophy of distal parts of the legs and diminution of tendon reflexes and sensation. Called also Dejerine's disease and Dejerine-Sottas disease.
serum neuropathy a neurologic disorder, usually involving the cervical nerves or brachial plexus, occurring two to eight days after the injection of foreign protein, as in immunization or serotherapy for tetanus, diphtheria, or scarlet fever, and characterized by local pain followed by sensory disturbances and paralysis. Called also serum neuritis.

en·trap·ment neu·rop·a·thy

a focal nerve lesion produced by constriction or mechanical distortion of the nerve, within a fibrous or fibroosseous tunnel, or by a fibrous band; with these lesions, stretching and angulation of the nerve may be as important a source of injury as compression; entrapment neuropathies tend to occur at particular sites in the body.

entrapment neuropathy

Etymology: OFr, entraper, to catch in a trap; Gk, neuron, nerve, pathos, disease
injury or inflammation of single nerves caused by pressure from surrounding tissues, such as ligaments and fascia.

entrapment neuropathy

Entrapment syndrome Neurology Any of a group of neuromuscular disorders caused by anatomic restriction or compression, usually of a single peripheral sensorimotor nerve in a bony or fibrous canal–eg, carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome, ulnar neuropathy Clinical Pain, especially at night, paresthesias, painful tingling, muscle weakness which, if not relieved, results in atrophy of the innervated muscles Examples Carpal tunnel syndrome, obturator canal syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome. See Carpal tunnel syndrome, Peripheral neuropathy, Thoracic outlet syndrome.

en·trap·ment neu·rop·a·thy

(en-trap'mĕnt nūr-op'ă-thē)


(noo-rop'a-the) [ neuro- + -pathy]
Any disease of the nerves. neuropathic (noor?o-path'ik), adjective See: table; polyneuropathy.

AIDS peripheral neuropathy




ascending neuropathy


auditory neuropathy

Abbreviation: AN
Synonym: auditory dyssynchrony

descending neuropathy

Enlarge picture

diabetic neuropathy




dysthyroid optic neuropathy

Crowding of and damage to the optic nerve in patients with Grave's disease. It is characterized by loss of visual acuity and color vision, swelling of the optic disk, and compression of the optic nerve at the apex of the orbit. Synonym: apical crowding

entrapment neuropathy

Nerve entrapment syndrome.

facial sensory neuropathy

Trigeminal neuralgia.

focal neuropathy


generalized neuropathy

A rarely used synonym for polyneuropathy.

glue-sniffer's neuropathy


interdigital neuropathy

See: Morton, Thomas George

multifocal motor neuropathy

An asymmetrical motor weakness occasionally found in middle-aged men.

optic neuropathy


peripheral neuropathy


plantar neuropathy


subacute myelo-optic neuropathy

, subacute myelo-optico neuropathy Abbreviation: SMON

sural neuropathy


tomaculous neuropathy


toxic-nutritional optic neuropathy

Bilateral visual impairment with central scotomas. This is usually associated with a toxic or nutritional disorder (e.g., the ingestion of methyl alcohol).

vibration-induced neuropathy

Hand-arm vibration syndrome.
NameAffected nerve(s)Affected part(s)Affects sensation?Affects movement?Clinical featuresType of neuropathy

entrapment neuropathy

Disorders of nerves due to mechanical compression when they pass through narrow apertures in the body. This is a common cause of peripheral nerve disorder. See CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME and CERVICAL RIB.

entrapment neuropathy

nerve compression due to local pressure, characterized by local or referred pain and distal paraesthesiae


a general term denoting functional disturbances and pathological changes in the peripheral nervous system. The etiology may be known (e.g. poidoning by arsenicals, ischemic or traumatic neuropathy) or unknown. Encephalopathy and myelopathy are corresponding terms relating to involvement of the brain and spinal cord, respectively. The term is also used to designate noninflammatory lesions in the peripheral nervous system, in contrast to inflammatory lesions (neuritis).

central peripheral neuropathy
see Boxer progressive axonopathy.
diabetic neuropathy
a chronic symmetrical sensory polyneuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus in humans, which occurs uncommonly in dogs and cats.
entrapment neuropathy
a neuropathy due to mechanical pressure on a peripheral nerve.
giant axonal neuropathy
a familial disease of German shepherd dogs, characterized by ataxia, hypotonia, reduced pain sensation, and loss of reflexes and proprioception in the hindlegs, which develops from a young age. Vomiting, associated with esophageal dilatation, also occurs.
hereditary neuropathy
recorded in Tibetan mastiff as an inherited defect in myelin production. Weakness, loss of reflexes and quadriplegia develop quickly and at an early age.
hereditary sensory neuropathy
an inherited abnormality in which affected dogs have impaired perception of pain in the feet and lower limbs from a young age; causes extensive self-mutilation of toes and footpads. It occurs in German shorthaired pointers, English pointers and English springer spaniels. Called also acral mutilation syndrome.
infiltrative splanchnic neuropathy
see macaw wasting disease.
progressive neuropathy
disease of young Cairn terriers with many similarities to globoid cell leukodystrophy. Affected dogs show quadriparesis, ataxia and head tremors.
retrobulbar neuropathy
trigeminal neuropathy
see mandibular neurapraxia.
References in periodicals archive ?
Although the literature contains only a few studies on work-related ulnar entrapment neuropathy, a high prevalence among some professions in particular has been reported.
A study conducted with engineers reported that increased hours worked per day increased the risk of upper extremity entrapment neuropathy, and that daily rest periods lowered the risk.
In the literature, similar to our findings, ulnar neuropathy across the elbow is reported to be the second most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper extremity (6).
The most common lesion is peripheral neuropathy, including entrapment neuropathy, distal axonal predominantly sensory polyneuropathy, mononeuropathy or multiple mononeuropathy, as well as fulminant sensorimotor polyneuropathy (1).