Referral to emergency
If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.
- acute development of peripheral nerve compression symptoms following trauma
Please contact the on-call registrar to discuss your concerns prior to referral.
For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant metropolitan Local Health Network switchboard and ask to speak to the relevant specialty service.
Central Adelaide Local Health Network
- Royal Adelaide Hospital (08) 7074 0000
Southern Adelaide Local Health Network
- Flinders Medical Centre (08) 8204 5511
Exclusions
- common peroneal nerve injury - refer to orthopaedics or plastics and reconstructive surgery
Triage categories
Category 1 (appointment clinically indicated within 30 days)
- acute neurologic deficit from trauma
- pressure from external lesion
- symptomatic disease with muscle wasting and weakness
Category 2 (appointment clinically indicated within 90 days)
- symptom recurrence previous history of surgical decompression
Category 3 (appointment clinically indicated within 365 days)
- symptomatic nerve entrapment without muscle wasting or weakness
For more on outpatient referrals, see the general referral information page.
Essential referral information
Completion required before first appointment to ensure patients are ready for care. Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.
- identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- relevant social history, including identifying if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf
- interpreter required
- relevant past medical/surgical history
- current medications, allergies
- history of presenting complaint including:
- onset
- duration
- concerning features
- neurological examination findings
- confirmation of diagnosis on imaging and associated reports including location, company, and accession number
- to assist in triage categorisation, a nerve conduction study would expedite the patient's management
Clinical management advice
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can be referred to neurosurgery as well as the following specialties but will be triaged in a unified manner by all specialties concerned:
Clinical resources
- HealthPathways SA – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners – Nerve conduction studies