This 2010 Current Concepts review by Palmer and Hughes covers the diagnosis and surgical management of cubital tunnel syndrome—the second most common compression neuropathy in the upper extremity. It synthesizes anatomy, provocative testing, conservative care, and all major surgical options to guide technique selection.
When selecting a surgical approach for cubital tunnel, default to in situ decompression for most patients—reserve transposition for nerve subluxation, posttraumatic stiffness, valgus instability, or tardy ulnar nerve palsy, where decompression alone will not eliminate the mechanical source of irritation.
Protect the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve on every approach: it crosses your incision proximal to the epicondyle more than half the time and is the leading cause of persistent post-operative pain.
This 2010 Current Concepts review by Palmer and Hughes covers the diagnosis and surgical management of cubital tunnel syndrome—the second most common compression neuropathy in the upper extremity. It synthesizes anatomy, provocative testing, conservative care, and all major surgical options to guide technique selection.
When selecting a surgical approach for cubital tunnel, default to in situ decompression for most patients—reserve transposition for nerve subluxation, posttraumatic stiffness, valgus instability, or tardy ulnar nerve palsy, where decompression alone will not eliminate the mechanical source of irritation.
Protect the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve on every approach: it crosses your incision proximal to the epicondyle more than half the time and is the leading cause of persistent post-operative pain.