Anatomical basis for a technique of ulnar nerve transposition.

There are five major anatomical locations where the ulnar nerve may be compressed near the elbow. Multiple sites of compression are often noted clinically; in other cases, the site of compression is difficult to identify. Clinical experience and results of a series of 20 anatomical dissections suggest that local decompression or subcutaneous transfer may be performed without necessarily exposing all five locations, posing a risk of incomplete decompression. Submuscular transfer of the ulnar nerve decompresses all five locations simultaneously and thus theoretically may be more reliable. The potentially superior results predicted by this anatomical investigation have been confirmed in a clinical case review. Submuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve is reliable and safe, not only in the primary treatment of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow but also in revision of previous operations.