Intraoperative electrical stimulation promotes the short-term recovery of patients with cubital tunnel syndrome after surgery.

研究概要

182 patients with cubital tunnel syndrome were randomized to receive surgical decompression of the ulnar nerve with intra-operative electrical stimulation (n=91) or ulnar decompression only (n=91). The outcomes of interest included muscle strength, motor, and sensory function, grip strength, key pinch strength, motor conductivity velocity, and compound muscle action potential, measured at 1 and 6 months post-operation. Intra-operative electrical stimulation improved outcomes across the board: at both 1 and 6 months, improved muscle strength and nerve activity were reported vs. the decompression-only group. Intra-operative electrical stimulation could improve postoperative recovery for this patient population, and future studies exploring its potential utility for other indications are of interest.