Resection of the hook of the hamate. Its place in the treatment of median and ulnar nerve entrapment in the hand

• Published in: Plastic and reconstructive surgery (1963) Vol. 56; no. 5; p. 501
• Main Author: Wissinger, H A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.1975
• Subjects: Adult; Carpal Bones - surgery; Female; Hand - innervation; Humans; Male; Median Nerve - surgery; Middle Aged; Muscles - innervation; Nerve Compression Syndromes - complications; Nerve Compression Syndromes - surgery; Neural Conduction; Neuritis - complications; Neuromuscular Diseases - complications; Prognosis; Ulnar Nerve - surgery
• ISSN: 0032-1052
• DOI: 10.1097/00006534-197511000-00004

Poor results can be anticipated with conventional surgical decompression of nerves entrapped within the hand in (1) those with underlying systemic disease causing primary neuropathy, (2) those with combined median and ulnar nerve palsies, and (3) those who have been previously operated upon for nerve entrapment within the hand. Eighteen patients belonging in these categories were surgically treated by resection of the hook of the hamate and (in some) by intraneural neurolysis. Using this technique, we have decreased our failure rate from 20 percent to less than one percent. We believe that failures can be eliminated if the patients destined to have poor results from the usual treatment are identified preoperatively and a more aggressive surgical decompression is used on this "at risk" group.