Ulnar neuropathy at the elbow

Abstract

In the years 1961–1975 we have treated thirty-one men and twenty-four women for ulnar nerve palsy at Kronprinsesse Märthas Institutt. The age ranged from sixteen to seventy-eight, the majority were in mid-adult life. Thirty-four nerves on the right arm and twenty-seven on the left were operated on with anterior transposition. This clinical material has been analysed regarding aetiology and management. The neuropathy was secondary to trauma or disease at the elbow in thirty-five cases and primary with a normal elbow in twenty-six cases. At operation it was found that the neuropathy was due to fibrous compression in 36 per cent and to hypermobility in 21 per cent. In 43 per cent there were no macroscopic reasons for neuropathy. We have re-examined fifty-two patients at an average time of seven and a half years after the operation. The results were found to be excellent in 47 per cent, good in 30 per cent and poor in 23 per cent. The results were independent of duration of symptoms before the operation and independent of the surgical findings at the operation. The results were also the same whether the nerve at the transposition was put intramuscularly or just subcutanously.