OUTCOME STUDY OF ULNAR NERVE COMPRESSION AT THE ELBOW TREATED WITH SIMPLE DECOMPRESSION AND AN EARLY PROGRAM OF PHYSICAL THERAPY

Cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most common entrapment neuropath y of the upper limb. This paper presents the experience of treating cu bital tunnel syndrome with simple decompression in 131 patients (164 u lnar nerves) over the past 12 years, 85% of these patients had mild or moderate ulnar nerve disease. In 146/164 ulnar nerves (89%), simple d ecompression resulted in good or excellent immediate post-operative re lief of symptoms. After an average follow-up of 4.3 years (range, 0.8- 12.0 years), 130/164 (79%) still reported good or excellent relief. Th e independent predictors of a better long-term outcome were absence of post-operative subluxation, greater body weight, normal pre-operative two-point discrimination (2-PD), and a more recent date of operation. A physical therapy rehabilitation program generally began on the day after surgery. Active participation in this predicted a rapid return t o work or activities of daily living, The average time to return to wo rk with simple decompression was 20 workdays.