Ulnar nerve injuries in guyon canal: A report of 32 cases

• Published in: Microsurgery 2012-05, Vol.32 (4), p.296-302
• Main Authors: Kokkalis, Zinon T., Efstathopoulos, Dimitrios G., Papanastassiou, Ioannis D., Sarlikiotis, Thomas, Papagelopoulos, Panayiotis J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Ulnar Nerve - injuries; Ulnar Nerve - surgery; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0738-1085; 1098-2752
• DOI: 10.1002/micr.21951

Purpose: In this study, the surgical outcomes of 32 patients with ulnar nerve injuries in the Guyon canal are presented. Outcomes were analyzed in relation to various factors such as age, surgical timing, zone of injury, and type of nerve reconstruction. Methods: Between 1990 and 2007, 32 patients with injury in Guyon canal were managed surgically. Twelve patients had ulnar nerve injury proximal to its bifurcation (zone I); 14 patients had isolated motor branch injury (zone II); and six patients had isolated sensory branch injury (zone III). End‐to‐end repair was achieved in 12 (38%) of 32 patients, while nerve grafting was performed in 20 (62%) cases. The mean follow‐up period was 22 months. Results: Good and excellent motor function was restored in 25 (96%) of 26 cases with motor branch injury. Good and excellent sensory results were achieved in 15 (83%) of 18 cases with sensory branch injury. Outcomes were significantly better for those who had early repair ( 0.05) and between outcomes from repair of injuries in different zone (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Early diagnosis and surgical treatment with careful dissection of the ulnar nerve branches within the canal is very important. Adequate exposure is usually required to repair the nerve in the Guyon canal. Nerve grafting in this level could give analogous results as the end‐to‐end repair. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.