ArticleSurgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA2015
Motor branches of the ulnar nerve to the forearm: an anatomical study and guidelines for selective neurectomy.
Article in Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Population-Based Quantitative Spatial Mapping of Ulnar Motor Branch Origins in the Forearm: An Integrated Anatomical Reference Framework.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Targeting the radial nerve in upper limb spasticity: a surgical anatomy guide.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2026Article
- Nerve Transfer for Restoration of Ulnar Fingers Flexion Through Pronator Teres Motor Branch: A Cadaveric Feasibility Study.Journal of hand surgery global online · 2026Article
- Anatomical variants complicating the posterior approaches towards the elbow joint.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2023Review
- Hyperselective neurectomy of thoracodorsal nerve for treatment of the shoulder spasticity: anatomical study and preliminary clinical results.Acta neurochirurgica · 2023Article
- Location of Ulnar Nerve Branches to the Flexor Carpi Ulnaris during Surgery for Cubital Tunnel Syndrome.Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society · 2023Article
- Nerve transfers in the forearm: potential use in spastic conditions.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2022Article
- The muscular branching patterns of the ulnar nerve in fetal forearms.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2022Article
- Anatomical study of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve and application to selective neurectomy in the treatment of spasticity of the first web space.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2020Article
- A shape-memory and spiral light-emitting device for precise multisite stimulation of nerve bundles.Nature communications · 2019Article
- The role of neurectomy in the management of spasticity of the upper limb.EFORT open reviews · 2017Article
- Anatomical study of the motor branches of the median nerve to the forearm and guidelines for selective neurectomy.Surgical and radiologic anatomy : SRA · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposePrecise knowledge of motor nerve branches is critical to plan selective neurectomies for the treatment of spastic limbs. Our objective is to describe the muscular branching pattern of the ulnar nerve in the forearm and suggest an ideal surgical approach for selective neurectomy of the flexor carpi ulnaris.
methodsThe ulnar nerve was dissected under loop magnification in 20 upper limbs of fresh frozen cadavers and its branches to the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle (FCU) and to the flexor digitorum profundus muscle (FDP) were quantified. We measured their diameter, length and distance between their origin and the medial epicondyle. The point where the ulnar artery joined the nerve was observed. The position in which the ulnar nerve gave off each branch was noted (ulnar, posterior or radial) and the Martin-Gruber connection, when present, had its origin observed and its diameter measured.
resultsThe ulnar nerve gave off two to five muscular branches, among which, one to four to the FCU and one or two to the FDP. In all cases, the first branch was to the FCU. It arose on average 1.4 cm distal to the epicondyle, but in four specimens it arose above or at the level of the medial epicondyle (2.0 cm above in one case, 1.5 cm above in two cases, and at the level of the medial epicondyle in one). The first branch to the FDP arose on average 5.0 cm distal to the medial epicondyle. All the branches to FDP but one arose from the radial aspect of the ulnar nerve. A Martin-Gruber connection was present in nine cases. All motor branches arose in the proximal half of the forearm and the ulnar nerve did not give off branches distal to the point where it was joined by the ulnar artery.
conclusionsThe number of motor branches of the ulnar nerve to the FCU varies from 2 to 4. An ideal approach for selective neurectomy of the FCU should start 4 cm above the medial epicondyle, and extend distally to 50% of the length of the forearm or just to the point where the ulnar artery joins the nerve.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.