Biomaterial Database

Ulnar nerve strains at the elbow. 1998

E B Toby, and D Hanesworth

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City 66160, USA.

Twenty unembalmed intact cadavers had strain measurements taken of the ulnar nerve at 5 positions around the elbow and at varying degrees of elbow flexion. A microstrain gauge was implanted directly into the nerve through a superficial incision. Maximum strains in the ulnar nerve occurred at maximum elbow flexion and directly behind the medial epicondyle; meaningfully less strain was seen at lesser degrees of flexion and positions distal and proximal to the epicondyle. A wide range of maximal strains (0% to 14%) was found. Twenty-five percent of the ulnar nerves showed strains of greater than 10% with maximum elbow flexion behind the medial epicondyle. Cubital tunnel syndrome may be at least in part a traction neuropathy.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002102	Cadaver	A dead body, usually a human body.	Corpse,Cadavers,Corpses
D004551	Elbow Joint	A hinge joint connecting the FOREARM to the ARM.	Elbow Joints,Joint, Elbow,Joints, Elbow
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000704	Analysis of Variance	A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable.	ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses
D001696	Biomechanical Phenomena	The properties, processes, and behavior of biological systems under the action of mechanical forces.	Biomechanics,Kinematics,Biomechanic Phenomena,Mechanobiological Phenomena,Biomechanic,Biomechanic Phenomenas,Phenomena, Biomechanic,Phenomena, Biomechanical,Phenomena, Mechanobiological,Phenomenas, Biomechanic
D013314	Stress, Mechanical	A purely physical condition which exists within any material because of strain or deformation by external forces or by non-uniform thermal expansion; expressed quantitatively in units of force per unit area.	Mechanical Stress,Mechanical Stresses,Stresses, Mechanical
D014459	Ulnar Nerve	A major nerve of the upper extremity. In humans, the fibers of the ulnar nerve originate in the lower cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord (usually C7 to T1), travel via the medial cord of the brachial plexus, and supply sensory and motor innervation to parts of the hand and forearm.	Nerve, Ulnar,Nerves, Ulnar,Ulnar Nerves
D017769	Ulnar Nerve Compression Syndromes	Ulnar neuropathies caused by mechanical compression of the nerve at any location from its origin at the BRACHIAL PLEXUS to its terminations in the hand. Common sites of compression include the retroepicondylar groove, cubital tunnel at the elbow (CUBITAL TUNNEL SYNDROME), and Guyon's canal at the wrist. Clinical features depend on the site of injury, but may include weakness or paralysis of wrist flexion, finger flexion, and ulnar innervated intrinsic hand muscles, and impaired sensation over the ulnar aspect of the hand, fifth finger, and ulnar half of the ring finger. (Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1995, Ch51, p43)	Guyon Syndrome,Entrapment Syndrome, Ulnar Nerve,External Compression Syndrome, Ulnar Nerve,Ulnar Nerve Compression,Ulnar Nerve Entrapment,Ulnar Nerve Entrapment Syndrome,Ulnar Nerve Entrapment at the Wrist,Ulnar Nerve External Compression Syndrome,Compression, Ulnar Nerve,Entrapment, Ulnar Nerve,Entrapments, Ulnar Nerve,Guyon Syndromes,Nerve Compression, Ulnar,Nerve Entrapment, Ulnar,Syndrome, Guyon,Syndromes, Guyon,Ulnar Nerve Compressions,Ulnar Nerve Entrapments