Annals of plastic surgery
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Subjective outcome was assessed in 100 patients with cubital tunnel syndrome at least 2 years after anterior transmuscular transposition of the ulnar nerve. The mean time from surgery was 37 months (standard deviation, 10 months). The patient sample of 119 operated cases included 81 unilateral procedures and 19 patients had bilateral procedures. ⋯ Postoperatively symptoms were significantly less than those preoperatively: pain, p = 0.001; cold sensitivity, p = 0.001; tingling, p = 0.05; and numbness p = 0.08. In 51 cases, patients reported normal sensation and in 45 cases patients reported normal strength. Reported outcome was significantly better in nonsmokers than in smokers (p = 0.02) but was not significantly different in patients with workers' compensation/litigation (p = 0.51), obesity (p = 0.16), abnormal preoperative nerve conduction studies (p = 0.21), concomitant carpal tunnel syndrome (p = 0.95), or brachial plexus nerve compression (p = 0.35).