title: Endoscopically assisted ulnar neurolysis for cubital tunnel syndrome.
abstract: Controversy remains regarding the surgical treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. Similar outcomes with ulnar nerve transposition, both subcutaneous and submuscular, and simple decompression have recently been reported. We describe an endoscopically assisted cubital tunnel release through a 2-cm incision using readily available standard equipment. Seventeen of 21 procedures successfully alleviated symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome in these patients. Four patients who developed ulnar nerve subluxation intraoperatively who were treated with medial epicondylectomy failed to experience relief of symptoms and were successfully treated with anterior submuscular transposition. Patients with more profound motor weakness and/or electrodiagnostic studies had less complete relief of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: OrthoCarolina, Charlotte, NC 28204, USA. alan.ward@orthocarolina.com
authors.forename: William Alan
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Siffri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D020430:Cubital Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery