ArticleThe Journal of hand surgery2018
Comparative Morbidity of Cubital Tunnel Surgeries: A Prospective Cohort Study.
Article in The Journal of hand surgery, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 33 citations in OpenAlex.
- Opioid Consumption After Upper Extremity Surgery: A Systematic Review.Hand (New York, N.Y.) · 2024Pooled it
- Managing Ulnar Nerve Subluxation With a Medial Intermuscular Septum Sling.Hand (New York, N.Y.) · 2025Article
- Review
- Electrodiagnostic Predictors of Outcomes After In Situ Decompression of the Ulnar Nerve.The Journal of hand surgery · 2023Article
- Endoscopic versus open in situ decompression for the management of cubital tunnel syndrome.Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica · 2022Article
- The management of failed cubital tunnel decompression.EFORT open reviews · 2021Review
- Enrollment in Treatment at a Specialized Pain Management Clinic at a Tertiary Referral Center after Surgery for Ulnar Nerve Compression: Patient Characteristics and Outcome.Journal of hand surgery global online · 2021Article
- Ulnar Nerve Enlargement at the Medial Epicondyle Negatively Correlates With Nerve Conduction Velocity in Cubital Tunnel Syndrome.Hand (New York, N.Y.) · 2020Article
- Comparison of Surgical Encounter Direct Costs for Three Methods of Cubital Tunnel Decompression.Plastic and reconstructive surgery · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeRandomized controlled trials have not identified a superior surgical approach to cubital tunnel syndrome surgery. This study evaluates the early morbidity of open in situ decompression and transposition.
methodsThis prospective cohort study enrolled 125 adult patients indicated for cubital tunnel surgery at a tertiary institution. Exclusion criteria included preoperative use of narcotics and concurrent elbow procedures. In situ decompressions (n = 47) and ulnar nerve transpositions (n = 78) were performed. Data were collected by independent clinicians at 3 postoperative intervals: 1 to 3 weeks, 4 to 8 weeks, and longer than 8 weeks. Postoperative data quantified surgical morbidity: visual analog scale (0-10) surgical site pain, narcotic consumption, patient-reported disability (Levine-Katz, Patient-Reported Elbow Evaluation [PREE] scores). Olecranon paresthesia and wound complications (hematoma, drainage, infection) were recorded.
resultsNo preoperative differences in age, sex, or the presence of pain existed between the surgical groups. Surgical site pain was not significantly different at any time. Following transposition, a significantly greater percentage of patients were using narcotics at 4 to 8 weeks after surgery and the average total morphine equivalents consumed per patient was significantly greater. Both Levine-Katz and PREE scores indicated greater disability at 1 to 3 and 4 to 8 weeks after transposition, but this significant difference resolved by final follow-up. Olecranon paresthesias occurred after both procedures but were significantly less frequent at 4 to 8 weeks and longer than 8 weeks after decompression. Twelve hematomas occurred following transposition (15%) with 1 requiring operative debridement and 5 hematomas resolved with nonsurgical treatment after in situ decompression (11%).
conclusionsUlnar nerve transposition imparts greater surgical morbidity than decompression with greater narcotic consumption, more patient-reported disability up to 8 weeks after surgery, and more persistent olecranon paresthesia. However, most differences in surgical morbidity are transient with resolution after 8 weeks following surgery. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.
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