Release of ulnar nerve compression at the elbow through a transverse incision

The purpose of this study was to modify the classical longitudinal skin incision to avoid injury to the cutaneous nerve branches on the medial side of the elbow when a surgical release of the ulnar nerve was performed. Injury to the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve is not a rare complication after release of the ulnar nerve at the elbow. This will leave an area of hyposthesia on the posteromedial aspect of the proximal forearm, to which the patient will usually get accustomed. Some patients may have an area of skin dysesthesia and a painful amputation neuroma requiring surgical treatment. To avoid these complications and yet to obtain adequate exposure for ulnar nerve release, we have used a transverse incision in 20 patients without any sequelae of hyposthesia or amputation neuromas and have attained a far superior esthetic result. (J Shoulder Elbow Surg 1998;7:38-42.)