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Perineural Steroid Injections in Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Amaar A Ali1, Zubayr Ali2, Ahmed Eid1
1Trauma and Orthopaedics, Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, Barrow, GBR.
Cureus
|March 30, 2026
Summary
Perineural steroid injections (PSI) safely alleviate cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) symptoms, improving patient-reported outcomes. However, PSI did not show significant objective improvements on ultrasound or nerve conduction studies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Orthopedics
- Pain Management
Background:
- Cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS) is a common nerve entrapment affecting the elbow.
- The efficacy of perineural steroid injections (PSI) for CuTS remains debated.
- Objective and clinical assessments are crucial for evaluating treatment effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze the evidence on the benefits and safety of PSI for CuTS.
- To assess the impact of PSI on both clinical outcomes and objective measures.
- To evaluate PSI as a diagnostic tool and adjunctive therapy.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines.
- Literature search across PubMed, Embase, and Medline databases.
- Objective assessment via ultrasound (US) and nerve conduction studies (NCS); clinical assessment via patient-reported questionnaires.
Main Results:
- Nine studies with 357 CuTS cases were included.
- Clinically, PSI significantly improved patient-reported outcomes and global symptom ratings.
- No significant improvement was observed in US or NCS findings.
- PSI demonstrated a favorable safety profile with no identified complications.
- PSI proved effective as an adjunctive therapy and a diagnostic tool.
Conclusions:
- Perineural steroid injections are a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for cubital tunnel syndrome, significantly improving clinical symptoms.
- While PSI does not yield objective improvements in imaging or electrodiagnostic studies, it serves a valuable diagnostic role.
- Further large-scale longitudinal studies comparing PSI with other treatments are warranted.
