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Radial nerve palsy at the elbow
Yoshihiro Matsubara1, Yoshinori Miyasaka, Shingo Nobuta
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tohoku University, School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. ymatsu@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences
|June 21, 2007
Summary
Space-occupying lesions at the elbow can cause radial nerve palsy. Ganglions were the most common cause, compressing the posterior interosseous nerve or both it and the superficial branch.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Neurology
- Radiology
Background:
- Radial nerve palsy can result from various etiologies, including space-occupying lesions (SOLs) in the elbow region.
- Understanding the precise anatomical location and characteristics of these lesions is crucial for diagnosis and surgical planning.
Observation:
- This study reviewed 8 cases of radial nerve palsy attributed to elbow SOLs, correlating clinical, imaging, and surgical findings.
- Common compressing masses identified included ganglions (6 cases), old radial head dislocation (1 case), and engorged radial recurrent vessels (1 case).
Findings:
- Imaging revealed SOLs located 15-40 mm from the interepicondylar line and 0-30 mm from the radiohumeral joint.
- Surgical findings indicated compression of the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) in 5 cases and both the PIN and superficial branch in 3 cases.
- No clear correlation was observed between the specific type of operative finding and the clinical presentation of radial nerve palsy.
Implications:
- The findings contribute to understanding radial nerve palsy mechanisms within the defined boundaries of the radial tunnel.
- Accurate imaging and surgical correlation are vital for diagnosing and managing radial nerve compression at the elbow.
- Further clarification of the radial tunnel's anatomical definition may improve the understanding of nerve entrapment syndromes.
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