Neurolysis combined with the application of a silastic envelope for ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow

Sixty-six patients with ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow underwent neurolysis and the application of a Silastic envelope in an attempt to prevent postoperative scarring and recurrence of symptoms. All patients were evaluated pre- and postoperatively using a numerical scoring system that included clinical, motor, and sensory evaluation as well as nerve conduction studies. The Silastic material was well tolerated in the 70 cases. The overall 66% score improvement was more closely related to clinical relief (64%) than to improvement in motor conduction velocities (45%). Our 10-year experience indicates that ulnar neurolysis with Silastic envelope interposition is a safe surgical method of treatment for ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow.