OBJECTIVE: Wrist problems, entrapments and paraesthesia in particular, are not uncommon in grip sports, eg: cycling, ski, Pole vaulting etc. to better understand the entrapment symptomatology of the different neurovascular passages at the volar aspect of the wrist, an anatomical revision of its respective tunnel is necessary because confusion and error has increased lately. This study will focus on the ulnar canal. Comparison of the original description of the canal with definitions emanating from scientific papers, anatomical handbooks and internet websites reveal challenging differences, which may create clinical confusion. Cadaver dissections served to document the details of this clinical and functional area. DESIGN: With the original paper of Felix Guyon (1861) as a reference, comparison was made (i) with 37 cadavers (74 wrists), (ii) with an internet search and (iii) with a bibliographic survey. The dissections allowed for the verification of Guyon's description were used to illustrate the findings. The internet search combined with a bibliographic survey of both clinical and research paper and the traditional anatomical literature allow for a complete ad hoc state of the art. RESULTS: The dissection of 74 wrists confirmed all (100%) Guyon's original description. Out of the 2559 hits on the internet, papers and books written in English, French, German and Dutch were considered only. Both the internet websites and the published material are often presenting an erroneous Image and/or explanation to demonstrate Guyon's canal. Many educational handbooks do not describe the ulnar canal at all. CONCLUSION: The dissection and bibliometric survey suggest that the canal of Guyon has received multiple denominations including an erroneous confusion with the "canalis Pisohamatum" the tunnel for the N. ulnaris branch towards the hypothenar. Over the years this confusion is to be found in various sources e.g. on the Internet sites and in scientific/clinical papers while in the "classical anatomy literature" both the ulnar and pisohamatum tunnels are too often forgotten.
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