ANTERIOR SUBMUSCULAR TRANSPOSITION OF THE ULNAR NERVE CUBITAL TUNNEL-SYNDROME

48 patients with 50 involved limbs were retrospectively analyzed to de termine factors influencing the outcome of surgical treatment for cubi tal tunnel syndrome. All patients were treated by anterior submuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve with Z-lengthening of the flexor-pro nator origin. There were 24 men and 24 women with an average age of 42 years+/-16.4 years (range, 5-75 years). The average follow-up time wa s 58 months (range, 12-156 months). A grading system was used pre- and post-operatively based on the severity of subjective complaints and o bjective findings. 92% of the patients were satisfied, or satisfied wi th some reservations, and only 8% were dissatisfied. All patients had either fair or poor pre-operative grades. 84% had excellent or good po st-operative grades and only 16% had fair grades. There were no recurr ences or poor post-operative grades in our series. Workers' compensati on status had no statistically significant adverse effect on post-oper ative patient satisfaction or post-operative grade. Anterior submuscul ar transposition of the ulnar nerve in this series provided satisfacto ry subjective outcome, relief of symptoms and adequate decompression o f the ulnar nerve at the elbow.