[Tunnel neuropathy of the radial nerve in the elbow region].

Symptoms of tunnel pathologies of the radial nerve in the ulnar region were analyzed in 39 patients (48 arms). Of importance in the tunnel neuropathy development is an overstrain of the short radial extensor of the wrist and the supinator which are in a close anatomical contact with the radial nerve branches. The affection of the radial nerve manifests in a sharp painfulness on the lateral surface of the ulnar region. The pains irradiate in the distal direction. Sensitivity disturbances within the autonomous zone innervated by the radial nerve were revealed in 17, and a moderate paresis of the wrist and finger extensors in 18 patients. When the epicondylar branch was involved, the secondary syndrome of lateral epicondylitis developed: this was observed in 34 patients. In 17 patients a deceleration of the impulse transmission along the efferent fibres of the radial nerve was observed. The treatment consisted in paraneural injection of hydrocortisone emulsion and radial nerve decompression.