Surgical Treatment of Tardy Ulnar Nerve Palsy / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

The report on compression neuropathy of the ulnar nerve at the elbow was first submitted by Panas in 1878. Therafter many authors have reported on etiology, pathoanatomy, method of treatment and prognosis of tardy ulnar nerve palsy. But there are some controversies about method of treatment and prognosis. We reviewed 15 patients of tardy ulnar nerve palsy resulted from the fracture of the lateral condyle of the humerus during the growing period. The result obtained are as follows. 1. All 15 patients with tardy ulnar nerve palsy were resulted from non-union of lateral condyle and cubitus valgus deformity. 2. Average carrying angle was 28 degrees. 3. Intial symptoms were pain and paresthesia of the hand in all 15 patients. Eight of them also had atrophy of intrinsic muscle and seven patients had clawing deformity of fingers. 4. Preoperative severity of ulnar neuritis according to Osborne's classification was Grade I; 1 case, Grade lI; 6 case, Grade III; 8 cases. 5. Submuscular transposition of ulnar nerve was performed in 11 and subcutaneous in the other 4 patients. 6. In all patient, pain was markedly improved within a few months after transposition of nerve. Improvement of hypothenar atrophy was obtained in 5 out of 8 and interosseous atropy in 3 out of 7 cases. Clawing was improved in 5 out of 8 cases. 7. Postoperative status of ulnar neuritis by Osborne's criteria was Normal; 1, Grade I; 4, Grade II; 7, Grade III; 3 cases. 8. Postoperative complications were decreased sensation in the medial aspect of forearm in 3 cases and recurrence of nerve compression symptom in 1 csse. 9. Internal neurolysis with anterior transposition of nerve would be recommandable in Grade III severe ulnar neuritis and in case of firm consistency of nerve at the operative field.