Open in situ decompression best for cubital tunnel decompression: JAMA

Cure rate for patients with cubital tunnel syndrome who receive surgery is high and complications are uncommon.

UK: Open in situ decompression is the most beneficial operation for adults with primary cubital tunnel syndrome, suggests a recent study in the journal JAMA Network Open. According to the study, the procedure was safest and was associated with best outcomes.

Cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most common compressive neuropathy and affects 6% of the population. For its treatment, numerous operation are performed globally however the studies have not been able to determine the procedure associated with fewest complications and best outcomes.

Ryckie G. Wade, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, Leeds, United Kingdom, and colleagues evaluated which operation for cubital tunnel syndrome is associated with the greatest likelihood of symptomatic cure.

The researchers searched the online databases from inception to March 2, 2019. They included studies that compared the outcomes of at least 2 surgical treatments for adults with primary cubital tunnel syndrome. Case reports were excluded, and when comparative studies had subgroups with 1 participant, the single-participant subgroup was excluded. The treatment had to be in situ decompression with or without medial epicondylectomy or an anterior subcutaneous, subfascial, intramuscular, or submuscular transposition. The access could be open, minimally invasive, or endoscopic.