Effects of tendon transfer to restore index finger abduction for severe cubital tunnel syndrome

Figures & data

Table I.  Details of 16 hands in 15 patients.

						Measurements before/after surgery
Case	Age/Sex (yr)	Side	Duration of Symptoms (mth)	Stage of severity	Follow-up (mth)	Grip (kg)	Pinch (kg)	Time of negative Froment sign after surgery (mth)	Result
1	61/M	R	5	4	23	21/23	2.8:3.5	7	Fair
2	45/M	R	16	5	26	35/50	7.0/9.5	2	Excellent
3	66/M	R	24	5	25	15/24	3.0/6.5	2	Excellent
4	59/M	L	5	4	18	13/28	2.4/6.8	3	Good
5	55/M	R	15	4	16	28/31	3.4/5.5	3	Good
6	77/F	R	10	4	12	5/10	3.9/4.4	1	Good
7	70/M	R	16	4	25	14/15	0.1/4.5	3	Good
8	59/M	R	10	4	17	24/30	0.5/7.2	6	Good
9	67/M	R	19	4	15	20/26	3.4/6.9	(+)	Fair
10	68/M	R	5	4	18	17/25	4.8/4.9	(+)	Fair
11	72/M	L	12	5	14	6/15	5.5/6.0	9	Good
12	74/M	L	25	4	12	26/28	2.1/3.5	3	Good
13	72/M	R	24	5	12	13/21	6.5/7.6	12	Good
14	73/F	R	13	4	12	10/18	1.9/3.3	(+)	Fair
15	63/M	R	3	4	10	27/35	4.0/6.4	6	Good
16	75/F	R	6	4	6	7/9	1.4/2.0	4	Good

Stage of severity according to Akahori's classification.

M = male; F = female; R = right; L = left; (+) = Froment sign was positive at the time of follow-up.

Figure 1.  The extensor pollicis brevis tendon is freed at the metacarpo-phalangeal joint of the thumb, and withdrawn to the proximal end of the anatomical snuff-box. The re-routed extensor pollicis brevis tendon is sutured to the tendinous portion of the first dorsal interosseous muscle near its insertion.

Figure 2.  Changes in pinch strength, gaining a significant increase at 6 months after surgery compared with preoperative pinch strength.