Nerve damage in tuberculoid leprosy

The pattern of ulnar nerve damage was studied in forty five patients suffering from Borderline Tuberculoid leprosy. All the patients were subjected to sensory and Voluntary Muscle Testings of the hands. It was observed that while all patients should evidence of sensory and autonomic deficit in the ulnar nerve-supplied areas of the hands, only forty patients showed the evidence of motor deficit in the muscles supplied by the same nerve. The probable mechanism of selective sparing of motor function in the remaining five patients is discussed.