title: Clinical efficacy of simple decompression versus anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve for the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome: A meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of simple decompression (SD) versus anterior transposition (AT) of the ulnar nerve for the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven public databases (PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE, Springer, Elsevier Science Direct, Cochrane Library and Google scholar) were searched from 1971 to December 2013. The overall odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled to compare the clinical outcomes. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the region, study type, Jadad score, type of AT, and follow-up duration. Meta-analysis was conducted by using Rev. Man 5.1 and Stata 11.0 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Finally, we included 13 studies involved 1009 (500 patients receiving SD and 509 patients receiving AT) patients with cubital tunnel syndrome. The overall estimate (OR=0.91, 95% CI=0.67-1.23, P=0.536) indicated that there was no significantly statistical difference between the clinical outcomes of patients treated with SD and AT. Meanwhile, subgroup analyses by region, study type, Jadad score, type of AT and follow-up duration showed the consistent results with the overall estimate. In addition, we found that the incidence of complications in patients treated by SD was significantly lower than that in patients treated by AT (OR=0.32, 95% CI=0.17-0.60, P=0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, although SD had equivalent clinical outcomes with AT for the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome, SD should be preferred due to having lower incidence of complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Central Hospital of Yiwu City, Yiwu 322000, China.
authors.forename: Hong-wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, General Hospital of Chengdu Military Command, Chengdu 610083, China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: 8th Department, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China. Electronic address: liuguodonglgd@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Guo-dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Traumatic Center, Research Institute of Surgery, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Central Hospital of Yiwu City, Yiwu 322000, China.
authors.forename: Gang-sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Digital Medical Research Institute, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Li-jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325027, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020430:Cubital Tunnel Syndrome / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anterior transposition; Clinical efficacy; Cubital tunnel syndrome; Meta-analysis; Simple decompression