Symptom Recurrence After Endoscopic Cubital Tunnel Release

PURPOSE: To evaluate the recurrence of symptoms after an endoscopic cubital tunnel release using the technique of Hoffmann and Siemionow. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 286 consecutive patients who underwent Hoffmann and Siemionow’s technique of endoscopic cubital release by a single surgeon during an 8-year period. Inclusion criteria were adult patients without previous elbow surgery, pathology, or trauma, and patients with a minimum 3-months’ postoperative follow-up. We evaluated symptom recurrence rate and assessed risk factors that would affect recurrence. RESULTS: A total of 223 patients met inclusion criteria, 204 of whom (91.5%) had improvement at 3 months after surgery. Eleven patients (4.9%) had persistent symptoms and 8 (3.6%) had recurrent symptoms at a mean of 16 months (range, 3–93 months) after the primary surgery. Intraoperative ulnar nerve subluxation had a statistically significant relationship with symptom recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms recurred at a rate of 3.6% after Hoffmann and Siemionow’s endoscopic cubital tunnel release. This is comparable to other endoscopic or open techniques for cubital tunnel release. The procedure has the added advantage of less tissue dissection. Intraoperative ulnar nerve subluxation seems to be associated with symptom recurrence. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.