Lim B H, Toh C L, Wong H P, Pho R W
Department of Hand Surgery, Singapore General Hospital.
Ann Acad Med Singap. 1992 Sep;21(5):689-93.
The clinical results of anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve in compressive ulnar neuropathy have been unsatisfactory. This study aims at qualifying and quantifying the vascular anatomy of the ulnar nerve at the elbow so as to enable us to appreciate the possible effects of anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve. In our study of 16 cadaveric limbs, we found that the average number of nutrient vessels supplying the ulnar nerve is 14.3. The main contributing vessel in the arm is the superior ulnar collateral artery, at the elbow, the inferior ulnar collateral artery proximally, and the posterior ulnar recurrent artery distally. In the forearm, the main supply is from the ulnar artery. The average length of the nutrient vessels ranges from 1 cm at the elbow to about 2.6 cm in the arm. The nutrient vessels at the elbow are short, small and numerous. Blood supply to the nerve is segmental in nature. In our histological study of the nerve at the elbow, we found that overall, there are more vascular channels in the intrinsic system than the extrinsic system (statistical significance p < 0.01). From this study, we were able to postulate that there is devascularisation of the ulnar nerve following an anterior transposition. The significance of the devascularisation will require further studies.
尺神经受压性神经病行尺神经前置术的临床效果并不理想。本研究旨在对肘部尺神经的血管解剖结构进行定性和定量分析，以便我们了解尺神经前置术可能产生的影响。在我们对16具尸体上肢的研究中，发现供应尺神经的营养血管平均数量为14.3条。在上臂，主要供血血管是尺侧上副动脉；在肘部，近端是尺侧下副动脉，远端是尺侧返后动脉。在前臂，主要供血来自尺动脉。营养血管的平均长度从肘部的1厘米到上臂的约2.6厘米不等。肘部的营养血管短、细且数量众多。神经的血液供应具有节段性。在我们对肘部神经的组织学研究中，发现总体而言，固有系统中的血管通道比外在系统更多（统计学显著性p < 0.01）。通过这项研究，我们能够推测尺神经前置术后会出现血管脱失。血管脱失的意义需要进一步研究。
