A 60-Year-Old Woman with Symptoms of Combined Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Due to an Elastofibroma Causing Compression of the Median and Ulnar Nerves

BACKGROUND:Cubital tunnel syndrome results from pressure or stretching of the ulnar nerve, and carpal tunnel syndrome involves the median nerve. Elastofibroma is a rare, benign, slow-growing soft-tissue tumor that commonly occurs as a bilateral infrascapular tumor in elderly women. This report is of a 60-year-old woman who presented with combined carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome due to an elastofibroma causing compression of the median and ulnar nerves. CASE REPORT:We report the case of a 66-year-old woman with left-hand numbness, tingling along the fingers, sleep disturbance, and weakness in pinching or holding objects for an extended period. The clinical examination and nerve conduction studies established the diagnosis of combined carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTs) complicated by intrinsic muscle wasting. The patient underwent left carpal and cubital tunnels release surgery and end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve transfer to the motor component of the ulnar nerve. Pathologic evaluation of the entire specimen showed collagen bundles alternating with refractive cylinders stained with Verfoeff-van Gieson elastic stain. CONCLUSIONS:This report is of a rare case of a histologically-confirmed single, peripheral, benign elastofibroma involving compression of the ulnar and median nerves. This case highlights the importance of histopathology in diagnosing rare soft-tissue tumors arising at an uncommon site and presenting with rare symptoms.