[Results of volar transposition of the ulnar nerve in cubital tunnel syndrome].

66 volar transpositions of the ulnar nerve were performed in 63 patients with cubital tunnel syndrome. 53 patients were male, 10 female. The average age was 49.2 years ranging from 21-74 years. 64 patients had a neurological deficit, 2 merely suffered from pain. The nerve conduction velocity was delayed in all patients. 14 patients had had a cubital fracture in their history, 6 patients showed an arthrosis of the cubital joint. 5 patients suffered from a habitual luxation of the ulnar nerve. In 14 cases there had been recurrent distorsions of the cubital joint. 4 patients were diabetics, 2 alcoholics. In 31 cases no pathogenetic factor could be found. A deep intramuscular transposition with insertion of the intramuscular septa was performed. There were excellent and good results in 82% of all cases. 15% remained unchanged. In 3% a deterioration was observed. The shorter the preoperative history the better the prognosis. Complete recovery was less frequent in patient with severe neurological deficit than with slight. The results were better in younger patients than in elder. But long lasting severe atrophies in elder patients recovered completely in some cases. Diabetes mellitus and alcoholism could not be proved as contributing factors but seemed to cause poorer results.