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Sparing of the flexor carpi ulnaris in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow
Author(s) -
Campbell William W.,
Pridgeon Rhonda M.,
Riaz Ghazala,
Astruc Juan,
Leahy Marilyn,
Crostic E. Gay
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880121203
Subject(s) - flexor carpi ulnaris , medicine , elbow , ulnar neuropathy , extensor carpi ulnaris , ulnar nerve , epicondyle , anatomy , cadaver , wrist , upper limb , nerve compression syndrome , surgery
A common misconception attributes sparing of the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE) to its innervating branch arising “at or above the elbow.” We examined the relationship of FCU branches to the medial epicondyle (ME) and humeroulnar aponeurotic arcade (HUA) in 30 cadaver elbows. In only three did the first FCU branch arise at or proximal to the ME. In 36 UNE cases with fibrillations in the first dorsal interosseous, the FCU was normal in 10, mildly abnormal in 11, and severely abnormal in 15. FCU involvement correlated with the severity of the neuropathy and with whether compression was retroepicondylar or at the HUA. We conclude that sparing of the FCU in UNE is unrelated to the level of origin of its innervating branch, but rather is related to the internal neural topography and to the severity and level of compression.