• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.84-88
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• 2009

Purpose: Compression of the ulnar nerve in the ulnar tunnel is a relatively uncommon condition. Many authors have described several etiologies of ulnar nerve compression. We experienced two cases of ulnar nerve compression in the ulnar tunnel due to an anomalous pulsatile S - shaped ulnar artery. Methods: Case 1: A 51 - year - old man was referred with numbness and paroxysmal tingling sensation along the volar side of the ring and little fingers of his right hand for 6 months. When exploration, the ulnar artery was pulsatile S - shaped and was impinging on the ulnar nerve. To decompress the ulnar nerve, the tortuous ulnar artery was mobilized and translocated radially onto the adjacent fibrous tissue. Case 2: A 41 - year - old man was referred with tingling sensation on the 4 th, 5 th finger of the right hand for 4 months. Sensory nerve conduction velocities of the ulnar nerve was delayed. Preoperative 3D angio CT scan showed an anomalous S - shaped ulnar artery. Same operation was done. Results: The postoperative course was uneventful. After decompression, paroxysmal tingling sensation decreased to less than 1 minute per episode, occurring 1 - 2 times a day. After 4 months, they had no more episodes of numbness and tingling sensation. Examination demonstrated good sensation to pinprick and touch on the ulnar aspect of the hand. Conclusion: We report two cases of ulnar nerve compressive neuropathy that was caused by an anomalous pulsatile S - shaped ulnar artery in the ulnar tunnel. Although this is an unusual cause of ulnar nerve compression, the symptoms will not spontaneously resolve. The prompt relief of compressive neuropathic symptoms following the translocation of the impinging ulnar artery from the affected ulnar nerve onto adjacent tissue proved that the ulnar nerve compression is due to the anomalous vessel.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.377-380
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• 2011

Objective : The purpose of this study was to determine the anatomic relationships between neurovascular structures and the transverse carpal ligament so as to avoid complications during endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery. Methods : Twenty-eight patients (age range, 35-69 years) with carpal tunnel syndrome were entered into the study. We examined through wrist magnetic resonance imaging in three different positions (neutral, radial flexion, and ulnar flexion) and determined several anatomic landmark (distance from the hamate hook to the median nerve, ulnar nerve, and ulnar vessel) based on the lateral margin of the hook of the hamate. The median nerve and ulnar neurovascular structure were studied with the wrist in the neutral, ulnar, and radial flexion positions. Results : The ulnar neurovascular structures usually passed just over or ulnar to the hook of the hamate. However, in 12 hands, a looped ulnar artery coursed 0.6-3.3 mm radial to the hook of the hamate and continued to the superficial palmar arch. The looped ulnar artery migrates on the ulnar side of Guyon's canal (-5.2-1.8 mm radial to the hook of the hamate) with the wrist in radial flexion. During ulnar flexion of the wrist, the ulnar artery shifts more radially beyond the hook of the hamate (-2.5-5.7 mm). Conclusion : It is appropriate to transect the ligament greater than 4 mm apart from the lateral margin of the hook of the hamate without placing the edge of the scalpel toward the ulnar side. We would also recommend not transecting the transverse carpal ligament in the ulnar flexed wrist position to protect the ulnar neurovascular structure.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.131-135
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• 2024

Cubital tunnel syndrome refers to compression neuropathy caused by pressure on the ulnar nerve pathway around the elbow. A 63-year-old male patient visited the clinic complaining of decreased sensation and weakness in his left ring finger and little finger, stating that the symptoms first began 6 months prior. He had undergone surgery to remove a ganglion cyst from his left elbow joint about 5 years prior in Mongolia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cystic mass located at the previous surgical site, which was compressing the ulnar nerve within the cubital tunnel. Ulnar nerve decompression and anterior transposition were performed, and the cystic mass was excised. Upon pathological examination, the mass was diagnosed as a ganglion cyst. The patient's symptoms including sensory dysfunction and weakness improved over the 1-year follow-up period. This report describes a rare case of ganglion cyst recurrence compressing the ulnar nerve in the cubital tunnel after previous ganglion cyst excision.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.101-104
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• 2018

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy caused by focal compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. However, many patients with CTS, who are diagnosed clinically and confirmed with electrophysiological studies, complain of the sensory symptoms extends to the ulnar nerve territory. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a dysfunction in sensory fibers of the ulnar nerve was present or not in hands with CTS patients who had extramedian spread of sensory symptoms over the hand. We retrospectively analyzed the recording of the subjects who were diagnosed with CTS within a one-year-period of time. After exclusions, 136 hands recordings of 87 patient were included. We compared the results of median and ulnar nerve sensory conduction studies between normal hands and hands with CTS. We did not detect statistically significant difference on all parameters of ulnar nerve sensory conduction studies between the normal hands and the hands with CTS. The parameters of the obtained in median nerve sensory conduction studies were statistically different between the healthy control and CTS patients. The hands with CTS showed similar rate of ulnar sensory conduction abnormalities compared with the normal hands. In conclusion, our study showed that none of the parameters in ulnar sensory nerve conduction studies differ between two groups. Accordingly, our study revealed that ulnar nerve involvement does not contribute in CTS patients underlying the spread of paresthesia extends to the ulnar nerve territory.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.98-101
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• 2021

Ulnar tunnel syndrome by anomalous muscles has not been reported in Korea because it is asymptomatic in most cases. The most common anomalous muscles are the accessory abductor digiti minimi and palmaris longus. This is a case report of a patient with ulnar tunnel syndrome at the wrist by the accessory abductor digiti minimi muscle. For patients with ulnar tunnel syndrome, it is important to consider that anomalous muscles can cause ulnar tunnel syndrome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.141-144
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• 2007

The association of medial elbow ganglion cyst with cubital tunnel syndrome has been rarely reported. A 61-year-old man presented with progressive right hypothenar atrophy and paresthesia for 7 months. Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed ulnar nerve entrapment with a cystic ganglion in cubital tunnel. Decompression of ulnar nerve and excision of the ganglion were performed. Motor function of the ulnar nerve showed an improvement four months later after surgery. Because most ganglia are occult, imaging study is warranted especially in case with osteoarthritis. Excision of the ganglion performed concurrently with decompression of the ulnar nerve provide satisfactory results.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.380-382
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• 2010

The authors present an extremely rare case of a pseudoaneurysm of the ulnar artery as a complication of a two-portal endoscopic carpal tunnel release (ECTR). A 70-year-old man with chronic renal failure and on maintenance hemodialysis with a left arteriovenous fistula presented with paresthesia of his right hand. A clinical diagnosis of right carpal tunnel syndrome was confirmed by ultrasonography and an electro physiologic study. He underwent two-portal ECTR, and the paresthesia was much improved. However, he presented to us one month after operation with severe pain, a tender mass distal to the right wrist crease and more aggravation of the paresthesia in the ulnar nerve distribution. Doppler ultrasound was performed and revealed a hypo echoic lesion 20 mm in diameter in the right palm, with arterial Doppler flow inside connected to the palmar segment of the ulnar artery. An ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed and treated by ultrasound-guided percutaneous thrombin injection. Transverse color Doppler ultrasound image showed complete thrombosis of the pseudoaneurysm and flow cessation after a total injection of 500 units of thrombin. The symptoms were also improved.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2002

Background and Objective : Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common mononeuropathy encountered in clinical practice. No single procedure or group of procedures has demonstrated adequate sensitivity. F-wave study in CTS is very rarely reported. To determine the diagnostic usefulness of new parameters of F-wave and comparative study of F-wave parameters of median and ulnar nerves in patients with CTS. Methods : F-wave responses of median and ulnar nerves were analyzed from 27 patients with clinically diagnosed CTS and 22 age and gender-matched normal control. Conventional F-wave parameters were studied. Also, the usefulness of new parameters such as mean and maximal ulnar-median F-wave latency differences, ulnar-median F-wave persistence and chronodispersion differences, median/ulnar F-wave amplitude ratio, and F-wave conduction velocity (FCV) using mean and maximal latency were assessed. Results : Compared with controls, median F-wave minimal, maximal and mean latencies, mean F-wave amplitude/M-wave amplitude, minimal, mean and maximal ulnar-median F-wave latency differences, and FCVs using minimal, maximal and mean latency were significant (P<0.05~0.001). Median F-wave minimal, maximal and mean latencies, mean ulnar-median F-wave latency difference, and FCVs using minimal, maximal and mean latency showed high sensitivity and specificity. Mean ulnar-median F-wave latency difference and FCVs using maximal and mean latency were new parameters. Conclusion : New F-wave parameter including mean ulnar- median F-wave latency difference and FCVs using maximal and mean latency may be a useful to assess the CTS. Also, median F-wave minimal, maximal and mean latencies, and FCV using minimal latency may be included in routine diagnostic tests in CTS.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.75-77
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• 2016

Double compression of the ulnar nerve, including Guyon's canal syndrome associated with cubital tunnel syndrome caused by the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle, is a very rare condition. We present a case of double crush syndrome of the ulnar nerve at the wrist and elbow in a 55-year-old man, as well as a brief review of the literature. Although electrodiagnostic findings were consistent with an ulnar nerve lesion only at the elbow, ultrasonography revealed a ganglion compressing the ulnar nerve at the hypothenar area and the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle lying in the cubital tunnel. Careful physical examination and ultrasound assessment of the elbow and wrist confirmed the clinical diagnosis prior to surgery.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.97-101
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• 2019

Tardy ulnar nerve palsy is ulnar neuropathy at or around elbow and commonly evaluated in the electromyography laboratory. However, ulnar neuropathy at the elbow due to neurofibroma is rare. Neurofibromas are tumors that arise within nerve fasciculi and anywhere along a nerve from dorsal root ganglion to the terminal nerve branch. We report one case of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow due to neurofibroma. Patient had paresthesia on the left 5th finger and there had been left hypothenar atrophy since 2 months ago. Tinel's sign was positive at left elbow. As a result of electromyography, there were suggestive of right ulnar neuropathy at or around elbow, referred to as tardy ulnar nerve palsy. Ultrasonography showed a diffuse tortuous thickening with multiple neurofibromas arising from individual fascicles of the ulnar nerve in cubital tunnel area. Surgery was then performed to release cubital tunnel of left elbow, then the patient's symptoms improved.