Radial tunnel release and tennis elbow: disappointing results?

In a retrospective study, 19 patients with 20 decompressions of the posterior interosseous nerve for radial tunnel syndrome were reviewed. The results were evaluated using Roles and Maudsley's criteria; they were found to be consistent with those previously reported: i.e. 75% favorable outcomes. Despite this finding only 8 patients (40%) stated they were satisfied. The main reason was residual pain. Shorter delay between the onset of symptoms and surgical treatment as well as simultaneous release of the lateral epicondylar muscles was found to influence positively patient satisfaction. These findings suggest that the scoring system used in the present study and also in previous studies is inappropriate. They also cast some doubt on the role of compression of the posterior interosseous nerve in the pathogenesis of chronic lateral elbow pain.