scholarly journals The anconeus epitrochlearis muscle may protect against the development of cubital tunnel syndrome: a preliminary study

2016 ◽  
Vol 125 (6) ◽  
pp. 1533-1538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Wilson ◽  
R. Shane Tubbs ◽  
Lynda J. S. Yang

OBJECTIVE The authors hypothesized that when the anatomical variant of an anconeus epitrochlearis is present, the risk of developing cubital tunnel syndrome would be reduced by replacing the normal roof of the cubital tunnel (Osborne's ligament) with a more forgiving muscular structure, the anconeus epitrochlearis. The authors further hypothesized that when the presence of an anconeus epitrochlearis contributes to ulnar neuropathy, it would be secondary to muscular hypertrophy, thereby making it more likely to occur in the dominant arm. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to evaluate these hypotheses. METHODS This retrospective cohort study was performed by reviewing the records of all adult patients who underwent operative intervention for cubital tunnel syndrome between 2005 and 2014 as the experimental group and all asymptomatic patients in the medical literature who were part of a series reporting the prevalence of an anconeus epitrochlearis as the control group. The primary outcome of interest was the presence of an anconeus epitrochlearis in asymptomatic individuals versus patients with cubital tunnel syndrome. RESULTS During the study period, 168 patients underwent decompression of the ulnar nerve for cubital tunnel syndrome, and an anconeus epitrochlearis was found at surgery in 9 (5.4%) patients. The control group consisted of 634 asymptomatic patients from the medical literature, and an anconeus epitrochlearis was present in 98 (15.5%) of these patients. An anconeus epitrochlearis was present significantly less frequently in the symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic individuals (p < 0.001). Among patients undergoing surgical decompression, an anconeus epitrochlearis was associated with symptoms in the dominant arm (p = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS The authors found that an anconeus epitrochlearis was present significantly less often in patients with cubital tunnel syndrome than in asymptomatic controls. The mechanism of protection may be that this muscle decreases the rigidity of the entrance into the cubital tunnel. When an anconeus epitrochlearis does contribute to cubital tunnel syndrome, it is significantly more likely to occur in the dominant arm, possibly due to repetitive use and hypertrophy of the anconeus epitrochlearis. The presence of an anconeus epitrochlearis may be protective against the development of cubital tunnel syndrome, although this is a preliminary finding.

2008 ◽  
Vol 159 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Tagliafico ◽  
Eugenia Resmini ◽  
Raffaella Nizzo ◽  
Lorenzo E Derchi ◽  
Francesco Minuto ◽  
...  

ContextAcromegalic patients may complain of sensory disturbances in their hands. Cubital tunnel syndrome, the ulnar nerve neuropathy at the cubital tunnel (UCT), in acromegalic patients has never been reported.ObjectiveTo describe and assess the prevalence of UCT in acromegalic patients and the effects of 1 year of therapy on UCT.PatientsWe examined prospectively 37 acromegalic patients with no history of polyneuropathy, acute trauma at the elbow, no diabetes or hypothyroidism with clinical examination, nerve conduction studies (NCS), and high-resolution ultrasound (US). A control group was made by 50 volunteers. The local ethics committee approved the study and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.InterventionClinical history, physical examination, NCS, and US were used to diagnose UCT at the beginning of the study and after 1 year.ResultsIn 8 of 37 patients, a diagnosis of UCT was made at the beginning of the study reflecting a prevalence of 21%. After 1 year, 5 of 8 (62.5%) patients reported clinical and NCS improvements and evident US reduction of nerve cross-sectional area (CSA; 16.7±2.9 mm2 vs 12.2±3.1 mm2; P<0.001). In 3 of 8 (37.5%) patients, the UCT was unchanged. Ulnar nerve CSA was significantly increased in acromegalic patients with UCT (16.7±2.9 mm2 vs 11.1±2.3 mm2; P<0.047).ConclusionUlnar neuropathy could occur in acromegalic patients and can improve in 62% of cases with disease control. Due to the different management and therapeutic approach, it would be important to make differential diagnosis between cubital and carpal tunnel syndrome in acromegaly.


Hand ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 155894472199802
Author(s):  
Adam Evans ◽  
William M. Padovano ◽  
J. Megan M. Patterson ◽  
Matthew D. Wood ◽  
Warangkana Fongsri ◽  
...  

Background: Our management of cubital tunnel syndrome has expanded to involve multiple adjunctive procedures, including supercharged end-to-side anterior interosseous to ulnar nerve transfer, cross-palm nerve grafts from the median to ulnar nerve, and profundus tenodesis. We also perform intraoperative brief electrical stimulation in patients with severe disease. The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of adjunctive procedures and electrical stimulation on patient outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 136 patients with cubital tunnel syndrome who underwent operative management from 2013 to 2018. A total of 38 patients underwent adjunctive procedure(s), and 33 received electrical stimulation. A historical cohort of patients who underwent cubital tunnel surgery from 2009 to 2011 (n = 87) was used to evaluate the impact of adjunctive procedures. Study outcomes were postoperative improvements in Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire scores, pinch strength, and patient-reported pain and quality of life. Results: In propensity score–matched samples, patients who underwent adjunctive procedures had an 11.3-point greater improvement in DASH scores than their matched controls ( P = .0342). In addition, patients who received electrical stimulation had significantly improved DASH scores relative to baseline (11.7-point improvement, P < .0001), whereas their control group did not. However, when compared between treatment arms, there were no significant differences for any study outcome. Conclusions: Patients who underwent adjunctive procedures experienced greater improvement in postoperative DASH scores than their matched pairs. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the effects of brief electrical stimulation in compression neuropathy.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Qing Xie ◽  
Xinzhong Shao ◽  
Xiaoliang Song ◽  
Fengyu Wang ◽  
Xu Zhang ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE The objective of this prospective randomized study was to compare ulnar nerve decompression and anterior subfascial transposition with versus without supercharged end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve–to–ulnar motor nerve transfer for advanced cubital tunnel syndrome, to describe performing the nerve transfer through a small incision, and to investigate predictive factors for poor recovery following the procedure. METHODS Between January 2013 and October 2016, 93 patients were randomly allocated to a study group (n = 45) and a control group (n = 48). Patients in the study group were treated with supercharged motor nerve transfer via a 5-cm incision following decompression and anterior subfascial transposition. Patients in the control group were treated with decompression and anterior subfascial transposition alone. Postoperative pinch strength and compound muscle action potential amplitude (CMAPa) were assessed. Function of the limb was assessed based on the Gabel/Amadio scale. Between-group data were compared, and significance was set at p < 0.05. Potential risk factors were collected from demographic data and disease severity indicators. RESULTS At the final follow-up at 2 years, the results of the study group were superior to those of the control group with regard to postoperative pinch strength (75.13% ± 7.65% vs 62.11% ± 6.97%, p < 0.05); CMAPa of the first dorsal interossei (17.17 ± 5.84 mV vs 12.20 ± 4.09 mV, p < 0.01); CMAPa of abductor digiti minimi (11.57 ± 4.04 mV vs 8.43 ± 6.11 mV, p < 0.01); and excellent to good results (0.67 for the study group vs 0.35 for the control group, p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the advanced age (OR 2.98, 95% CI 2.25–4.10; p = 0.003) in the study group was related to unsatisfactory outcome in the patients. CONCLUSIONS In the treatment of advanced cubital tunnel syndrome, additional supercharged end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve–to–ulnar motor nerve transfer may produce a better function of the hand. The authors also found that cases in the elderly were related to unsatisfactory postoperative results for these patients and that they could be informed of the possibility of worsening surgery results.


Author(s):  
Jung Won Kim ◽  
Insun Won Park ◽  
Youngjoon Won Lee ◽  
Yu Chang Kim ◽  
Pilja Chang Kim ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Shawky Ammar ◽  
Mohamed Ahmed El Tabl ◽  
Dalia Salah Saif

Abstract Background Various surgical options are used for the treatment of ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow. In this study, anterior trans-muscular transposition of the ulnar nerve was used for the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. Objectives To evaluate the surgical results of anterior trans-muscular transposition technique for the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome with particular emphasis on clinical outcome. Methods Forty patients with cubital tunnel syndrome were operated using anterior trans-muscular transposition technique. Patients were classified into post-operative clinical outcome grades according to the Wilson & Krout criteria, and they were followed up by visual analog scale (VAS), the Disability of Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, electrophysiological study, and post-operative clinical evaluation. Results Forty patients with cubital tunnel syndrome who underwent anterior trans-muscular transposition of the ulnar nerve show a significant clinical improvement at 24 months post-surgery regarding visual analog scale (VAS), the Disability of Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, electrophysiological study, and the Wilson & Krout grading as 87.5% of the patients recorded excellent and good outcome. Conclusion Anterior transmuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve is a safe and effective treatment for ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.


Hand ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 155894472110289
Author(s):  
Amy Phan ◽  
Warren Hammert

Background: Assessment of outcomes for cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) surgeries has been difficult due to heterogeneity in outcome reporting. Our objective was to evaluate the outcomes for 2 cohorts treated surgically for isolated CuTS and for combined CuTS and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) using Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Methods: There were 29 patients in the isolated CuTS cohort and 30 patients in the combined CuTS and CTS cohort. PROMIS Physical Function (PF), Pain Interference (PI), Depression, and Upper Extremity (UE) were completed preoperatively and 1-week, 6-weeks, and 3-months postoperatively. Responsiveness was evaluated by standardized response means (SRM). Results: Significant improvements from the 1-week to 6-week postoperative period are shown in the isolated CuTS cohort for PROMIS PF ( P = .002), PI ( P = .0002), and UE ( P = .02), but scores plateau after 6-weeks postoperatively. A similar pattern for the same time points was seen for the combined CuTS and CTS group for PROMIS PF ( P = .001), PI ( P = .02), and UE ( P = .04), with a plateau of scores beyond 6 weeks postoperatively. PROMIS UE was more responsive (SRM range: 0.11-1.03) than the PF (SRM range: 0.02-0.52) and PI (SRM range: 0.11-0.40), which were both mildly responsive for both cohorts. Conclusions: PROMIS lacks the sensitivity to show improvement beyond 6-weeks postoperatively for both isolated CuTS and combined CuTS and CTS. Patients with combined nerve compressions follow similar trajectories in the postoperative period as those with isolated CuTS. Level of Evidence: Level IV.


2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-264
Author(s):  
Nick A. Johnson ◽  
Oliver Darwin ◽  
Dimitrious Chasiouras ◽  
Anna Selby ◽  
Chris Bainbridge

The relationship between surgery for cubital tunnel and carpal tunnel syndrome was examined in this retrospective study. Between 1997 and 2018, data from consecutive patients who underwent carpal tunnel release (8352 patients), cubital tunnel release (1681 patients) or both procedures (692 patients) were analysed. The relative risk of undergoing cubital tunnel release in the population who had carpal tunnel release compared with those with no carpal tunnel release was 15.3 (male 20.3; female 12.5). The relative risk of undergoing carpal tunnel release in the population who had cubital tunnel release compared with those who did not undergo carpal tunnel release was 11.5 (male 16.5; female 9.1). Our study showed that men and women who undergo carpal tunnel release are over 20 times and 10 times more likely to have cubital tunnel release than those who did not undergo carpal tunnel release, respectively. These findings suggest that the two conditions may share a similar aetiology. Level of evidence: IV


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