Application of Osborne's Ligament Suspension and Ulnar Nerve Anterior Transposition in Conjunction with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Managing Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: A Retrospective Study.

AIM: To explore the effectiveness and safety of Osborne's ligament suspension and ulnar nerve anterior transposition (OLSUNAT) in conjunction with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for managing cubital tunnel syndrome (CTS).

METHODS

A total of 116 individuals diagnosed with CTS who underwent OLSUNAT in our hospital between October 2020 and December 2023 were retrospectively selected. They were divided into a treatment group (62 cases) and a control group (54 cases) based on whether they received subsequent TENS. Observation indicators included pain level, numbness, ulnar nerve conduction velocity, strength of the abductor of the little finger, two-point discrimination, elbow range of motion, fine motor activities of the upper limb and hand, SF-36 scores, and incidence of complications.

RESULTS

No significant differences in baseline characteristics were identified between the treatment and control groups (p > 0.05). After treatment, both groups showed remarkable improvements in pain level, numbness, motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV), sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV), strength of the abductor of the little finger, two-point discrimination, elbow range of motion, Simple Test for Evaluating Hand Function (STEF) score, and SF-36 scores compared to before treatment (p < 0.05). However, the treatment group showed greater progress than the control group (p < 0.05). Although the overall incidence of complications in the treatment group was slightly lower than in the control group, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

OLSUNAT combined with TENS offers significant advantages in managing CTS, effectively alleviating symptoms, promoting nerve and elbow function recovery, and improving patients' quality of life while demonstrating high safety. However, further extensive and long-term studies are needed to confirm its sustained efficacy and safety.