Ulnar neuropathy at Jordan University Hospital

Objectives: To study the causes, clinical andelectromyography/nerve conduction study (EMG/NCS)findings and treatment modalities in Jordanian patientswith ulnar neuropathy (UN) observed in a tertiary carereferral center and compare the findings with those fromWestern literature.Methods: The case notes of 20 patients with UNreferred to the neurophysiology department at JordanUniversity Hospital, Amman, Jordan, between January2002 and January 2004 were reviewed. The clinicalpresentation, causes, EMG/NCS and treatment modalitieswere registered.Results: Among the 20 patients, 18 were male and 2female with a mean age of 39 years (range 14-68 years).Ten cases were traumatic UN while the other 10 werepresumably idiopathic cubital tunnel syndrome (CTS).The most common clinical manifestations wereparesthesiae of 4th/5th digits and weakness/atrophy ofsmall hand muscles. All 10 cases of traumatic UN wereaxonal on EMG/NCS while among the other 10 withCTS, 3 diabetics had axonal injury and 6 out of 7nondiabetics had a demyelinating injury, 3 sensorimotorand 3 pure sensory. Additional carpal tunnel syndromewas found in 5 patients. Needle EMG was abnormal onlyin cases of abnormal ulnar sensory action potential. Nineout of 10 with traumatic UN had surgery while only 3 outof 10 with CTS had cubital tunnel release.Conclusions: Compared to previous studies fromWestern literature, our study shows a similar malepredominance as well as comparable clinical andneurophysiological findings and treatment modalities