What are the symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome?
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is not a widely recognized condition. It refers to traumatic arthritis in the elbow, which often leads to nerve compression. The tissue between the two heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle on this side compresses the nerve, and this symptom is called Cubital Tunnel Syndrome. Its symptoms are numerous and often cause numbness in the small fingers of the patient. When writing or using chopsticks, the affected hand may show reduced flexibility.
In the early stages of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome, patients often feel numbness and discomfort in the pad of the little finger. Sometimes writing or using chopsticks becomes clumsy. As the symptoms worsen, there may be weakness in the flexor carpi ulnaris and the deep flexor muscles of the ring and little fingers, along with intrinsic muscle atrophy and mild claw hand deformity. Froment's sign may also appear.
Conservative treatment is suitable for early-stage patients with mild symptoms. Adjustments can be made to the position of the arm to prevent prolonged excessive flexion of the elbow joint, avoid sleeping on the elbow, and wear elbow pads. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs can occasionally relieve pain and numbness, but steroid injections within the cubital tunnel are not recommended. Surgical treatment is indicated for patients with intrinsic muscle atrophy and ineffective conservative treatment. The following surgical procedures are commonly used: The ulnar nerve is released from the ulnar nerve groove and transposed to the subcutaneous tissue in front of the elbow. During anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve, sufficient mobilization should be performed proximally and distally, and the articular and 1-2 muscular branches of the nerve should be cut to facilitate anterior transposition and prevent intramuscular compression after transposition. A piece of deep fascia is lifted at the origin of the flexor muscle to contain the transposed ulnar nerve in the anterior part of the elbow to prevent the nerve from slipping back to its original position when the elbow is extended. The flipped deep fascia should have a certain width and length to prevent new compression on the ulnar nerve. Neurolysis between fascicles is generally not recommended as it may exacerbate symptoms. After surgery, the elbow is immobilized in flexion with a plaster splint, and exercises are started after 3 weeks. Although other surgical methods are also clinically applied, they are not widely used.
