Ulnar nerve pathology at the elbow: the place of anterior transposition today

A retrospective study is presented of 39 patients with ulnar nerve pathology at the elbow. All patients were treated by anterior transposition. Improvement to at least good functional recovery occurred in 46% of the patients. In the other 54% there was only slight or no improvement, or even deterioration. A further analysis of the results showed that in patients with objective signs of ulnar pathology, but without muscular atrophy, the results were good: 64% of these patients showed a good operative result. The most important factors in postoperative prognosis in the patients studied are the existence of muscular atrophy, age, and, in the moderately severe group, the length of history before operation. The aetiology was not important with respect to the outcome. On the basis of the recent literature and the results of this study suggestions are presented for a rational choice between the different possibilities of treatment for ulnar nerve pathology at the elbow.