Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in athletes: Muscle-splitting approach without transposition of the ulnar nerve

• Published in: Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery Vol. 10; no. 2; pp. 152 - 157
• Main Authors: Thompson, William H., Jobe, Frank W., Yocum, Lewis A., Pink, Marilyn M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01.03.2001
• Subjects: Adult; Athletic Injuries - surgery; Collateral Ligaments - pathology; Collateral Ligaments - surgery; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Muscle, Skeletal - surgery; Postoperative Complications; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures; Treatment Outcome; Ulna - injuries; Ulna - pathology; Ulna - surgery; Ulnar Nerve - pathology; Ulnar Nerve - surgery
• ISSN: 1058-2746; 1532-6500
• DOI: 10.1067/mse.2001.112881

Eighty-three athletes with medial elbow instability underwent reconstruction of the anterior band of the ulnar collateral ligament with a muscle-splitting approach without transposition of the ulnar nerve. The purposes of this study were to describe postoperative neurologic outcomes in all 83 athletes and to describe the 2-year follow-up in 33 athletes. Postoperatively, 5% of this group had transient ulnar nerve symptoms, all of which resolved with nonoperative management. There were no reoperations for nerve dysfunction and no permanent nerve problems. At 2- to 4-year follow-ups, 93% of the highly competitive athletes who had not had a prior surgical procedure had an excellent result. All athletes, regardless of whether they had a prior procedure, were able to return to their sport. These surgical modifications to the ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction yielded a decreased postoperative complication rate and improved outcomes compared with the results of prior procedures. (J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2001;10:152-7.)