Cubital tunnel syndrome: discussion of different anterior transpositions of ulnar nerve and comparison of respective effect

Objective To analyze and compare the effect of two different anterior transpositions of the ulnar nerve for cubital tunnel syndrome. Methods Forty-five cases have been reviewed from 1991 to 2003. The patients were treated with two different operative ways: anterior subcutaneous and submuscular transposition of ulnar nerve. Results Thirty-one cases were followed up from 6 months to 8 years with an average time of 2.4 years. In subcutaneous group, 8 cases were excellent, 11 good, 3 fair and 1 poor, with 82.6% rate of excellent or good. In submuscular group, 2 were excellent, 4 good, 1 fair and 1 poor, with 75% rate of excellent or good respectively. Statistical analysis stated of two anterior transpositions had no significant difference, but the effect of moderate-staged patients was obviously better than that of severe-staged patients. Conclusion Complete tunnel and nerve decompression was the most important step of the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. There is no difference between subcutaneous and submuscular transposition of ulnar nerve.Cubital tunnel syndrome should be operated actively since it was diagnosed.