title: A rare case of a punched nerve syndrome of the deep motor branch of the ulnar nerve.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peripheral compression neuropathy of the ulnar nerve is a frequent condition, most likely encountered at the ulnar sulcus or the Guyon's canal. High-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) can often identify the site of injury. Primarily idiopathic, compression neuropathy can stem from a punched nerve syndrome, in which direct contact between an arterial branch and the nerve leads to compression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 42-year-old male patient was examined by means of HRUS using a 17-5 MHz linear transducer on a Philips iU22(®) (Philips, Bothell, Washington, USA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After reporting a punched nerve syndrome of the deep motor branch of the ulnar nerve distal to the Guyon's canal, the patient underwent surgery and showed electrophysiological and clinical improvement 6 months after decompression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HRUS is a viable method to demonstrate a punched nerve syndrome. In conjunction with clinical presentation, even unlikely sites of compression such as the deep motor branch of the ulnar nerve can be identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, Innsbruck, Austria, leonhard.gruber@i-med.ac.at.
authors.forename: Leonhard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loizides
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*