One of the most popular entries on my blog is my initial post about having Ulnar nerve Transposition surgery (graphic pics) in March 2008. I’ve blogged a few times since then with status updates and I thought would give another update really quick, being 9 months later.
The numbness on the elbow itself is going away, its now sensitive to touch and very tender (I’ll take this over numbness any day). If I bump my elbow directly on a door or desk its still very painful and I shriek every time. The scar from the incision is about 6 inches, perhaps 7 inches in length its wide and still very tender and red, a large lump presumably scar tissue and a strange indent are located around the scar. Also, the area around the scar appears to be bruised, the skin is darker in tone.
The tingling and numbness in the pinky and ring finger are bout 50% of what they were before the surgery which is fine as I’m learning to deal with it. The Doctor said it’ll probably take 2-3 years for the nerve to repair itself since it was compressed so bad.
Before the surgery my arm would ache almost all the time, it was a “tired dull pain” that lingered. However, the surgery seemed to resolve that and I only have the “tired dull pain” when I over use my arm now.
I am glad I had the surgery, its been a long road and the situation is at least 40-50% better then what it was before surgery. I go back to the doctor in February 2009 for a checkup and I’ll follow up here as well with the results.
I just had the ulnar nerve transposition surgery (as well as carpal tunnel) on my right arm and wrist, Ocober 14. I believe it was the subcutaneous transposition. Later that night and the next morning, my elbow/arm/hand already felt better, with no pain, tingling, or numbness. Have actually felt little to no need to take any pain pills.
It’s been nice to be able to enjoy a solid night’s sleep. Every night before the procedure, I would wake up with my hand and arm asleep or tingling, most times, more than once.
They have my arm wrapped from almost my shoulder and splinted. My next appointment is October 28th. I assume the bandages and splint will be removed then. Think they told me that I’d have little use of the arm for 6 weeks. Not sure if therapy will begin after me next appointment or a little farther out.
I should add too that I don’t have any helpers in my life, that it is easy to take care of myself, or any needs that come up. Even still walk my dog, 4.25 miles in just under an hour, so this hasn’t slowed me down any.
Because of all the doom and gloom stories, I wanted to share my story and I’ll try to update my story as it progresses
I am going to an Orthopedic Surgeon for what my doctor describes as a bone spur in my left elbow that is digging into the Ulnal Nerve. I am just wondering what your symptoms were. I am experiencing numbness in my left hand and pain that comes from my shoulder into my hand, I have more numbness on the bottom of my hand on the side edge and also I have been losing more use of it as far as grabbing things and picking them up (weakness). My typing skills have dimminished greatly and sometimes can’t even feel the keys. Along with this the longer my arm is bent (driving, cell phone use) I begin to feel intense pain when I straighten my arm and have almost no use of it to pick something up. In the morning when I wake up I can’t even pull socks or my pants on because it is either too painful or I lack the power to grip and pull. Were your symptoms similar to this ? I am very curious. Thanks Fred.
Hi ,All I was setup for this procedure 2/24/11 after reading these comments last week I decided it was not worth the gamble ,Like others my pain is from my work I was supose to go in today and in 10 days carpel tunnel in one wrist then ten more days the next wrist,The pain this time around was a ten!was put on meds they alone did not much good .So 2 weeks ago tried acupuncture being a skeptic on these things .So after the first visit I noticed some change have now had visited them 6 times and the last time a theraputic Massage I cna honestly say I alomst out of pain & the tingling in the 2 fingers almost gone . I am sure not everyone will have them same effect but its worth the try,the surgery sure doesn’t sound like a cure. wish all of you luck
Hello Micheal I agree with you. I was injured on the job at first they wanted to pay me 500.00 I didn’t take it. That same night i went home and went to sleep woke up Hands numb can’t feel them went to a new doctor, I’ve been through a lot with lawyers, doctors and I am still in pain. I fell off of an 18-wheeler trailer the driver moved and I dropped but I was holding on to a conveyor line full of boxes and now I can’t pick up anything but 5 or 10 pounds and I have spasm all day my antidepressant not working at first it was but not now all it does is make me sleepy
I have had two ulnar nerve decompression and I wasn’t having pain like I am having now my pinky finger hurts also. I had my surgeries in July 2009 on my left arm but my doctor died so that meant I had to get another doctor to do my right elbow. But now I’m having pain in both arms and in upper back I can’t deal with this. I am on an antidepressant but I still don’t sleep all night because of the pain in my arms I sleep on my back.
Thank you for that post
I will have the surgery this friday 10/23/09
I am very worried as I have heard good and very bad thinks regrding this surgery
I will have it done by the Orhtopedic Center of the Rockies and hear they aer very good.I think they will do the under the muscle one sub-somthing
I use a computer everyday all day for my work and am concerned that I may not be abe to return to the job as soon as I like
the doc said he will remove the splint aftr only 3 days and I can return to work when I feel like it
I am worried about the pan and recovery times
Dang
Dang,
how are you doing?
Hi everyone,
I had a question regarding the ulnar nerve surgery. I was diagnosed with the same problem about 10 years ago. I received my injury from playing softball for years. I too had numbness in my pinky finger and my ringer finger which migrated up to my wrist. I was placed in a brace for about three months and was given IB800′s to help with the inflamation. I am now 26 years old and am wondering if the surgery now would benefit me later in life. I work at a computer all day long and my elbow constantly is bent. I have to straighten it out several times a day to relieve the ach in my elboy and fingers. I also have changed my lifestyle to avoid repetative motion with my right arm and have issues carrying more than 15-20 lbs with my right hand. Basically a sac of potato’s is a killer. Do you think revisitng the possibility of the surgery is a good thing to consider?
Susan,
I had the surgery 5 moths ago, both wrist and elbow., and had RSD complications. I still have numbness and pain. Takes a long time to heal.
I’m having this surgery on friday 1/15/2010. I’m wanting to be encouraged that this will solve the problem i’m having as well with the numbness (little and ring fingers). I was injured running away from a dog. My shoulder was also severely injured and that surgery was a year ago followed by elbow surgery in may of last year. Good luck in your recovery. I’m not looking forward to the pain. especially if anything like the pain from the shoulder surgery.
Good Luck!!!
NO don’t do it I did the surgery and I wish I didn’t.
I had this surgery 4 1/2 weeks ago.They moved the nerve under some muscle in my forearm.Before surgery,the numbness in my pinkie finger and that side of my hand would vary from hardly at all,to bad enough that I was conscious of it all day. After surgery the numbness is worse than before.The surgeon says it should get better,but it seems like it shouldn’t be worse than it was.Anyone else experience anything such as this?
I had the same exact problem and first decided to avoid surgery and try to let it heal with excercise and changing my ways…my ulnar nerve was being compressed by my elbow bone when i kept leaning my arm on the desk using a computer…I waited one year and it didnt get an inch better…so i had the surgery…after i thought “what did i do”…..6 months later I still felt no better but my doctor said it takes about 2 months an inch..so I was numb from elbow to finger tips ….2 years later …i am 95% back to normal…it really does take a long time to heal…but it does help…and then you have no more funny bone on that side as it is removed from exterior and put in between forearm muscles to protect it…I recommend taking lechitin supplement also as this helps with nerve damage recovery rate…hope this helps
Good afternoon.
I am actually on this site looking for some answers and some idea’s what to expect from my surgery. I am going in on Feb. 1, 2012 to have the Ulnar Nerve Release surgery with Transposition and also some scar tissue removal. This is actually my 3rd surgery since May 2011 on my Left elbow. This all stemmed from a motorcycle accident and my radial head shattered. I had several months of therapy and my arm in 2 different Dyna-splits due to lack of ROM. So I had to have another surgery to get me better ROM in extension. Once out of the hospital I had the whole numbness, burning, pins and needles feeling in my arm and fingers and palm. It was my whole hand for about a month. After have some nerve testing done and not being able to flex my are past 72 degree’s My Dr told me I have to have this surgery and move the Ulnar nerve behind the muscle.
Now, my question to everyone is: Has anyone had this similar situation? How long will my recovery time be? How long will I need to be off of work and when can I expect to have ROM back to normal in my arm to be able to function normal again?
Thanks in advance… This has been a long process and recovery……
i had this surgery 6 months ago and my pain and numbness have gotting worse im now seeing another doctor and most likely having another surgery this makes no#4 seems like i might be limited in arm 4 life
Joe,
I had the surgery 5 months ago, and I have developed pain in upper arm, and limited rom. Still have numbness in little finger and pain in arm all day every day. o more therapy, I had it for 4 1/2 months.Hope you are doing better.
hey joe i am in the same boat. i have had 3 all ready about to have my 4. i am trying to pick a new doctor now.
After enduring a rather awful EMG the other day, I was told by that consultant that the damage at my elbow (a couple inches above the elbow) was severe with nerve death occurring. That was bad enough, but then was told I also had nerve compression at my wrist at “bad” stage and to top it off minor carpal tunnel. He said he expected surgeon would do at least the elbow and ulnar at wrist with possibility of the carpal at the same time. What a combo! He said even a wait of a couple weeks will mean more nerve death. This whole thing only started 6 wks ago and I already have hardly any hand muscle or tone left. Pinky and next finger have been constant pain numbness combo since then.
I go back to the hand surgeon tomorrow to discuss those results. Ive already been told to expect surgery in a week, with him predicting the one that moves the nerve up into your arm muscle. I thought that was worst case scenarioonly to find out there was much more!
I am totally freaked out by what I will be told they are going to do and the process Im going to go through. I look at my awful looking hand and know this is the best its going to look in a long time / ever! I have found plenty of info on the wrist surgery and elbow… I find NOTHING about a combo surgery. Oh yes, and apparently I have it at “minor stage” on my right hand also!
Any words of advice for me going in to this?
Annette,
I had the ulnar nerve surgery at both the elbow and wrist done subcutaneously 5 months ago. I developed RSD after the surgery. I am in remission with the RSD, but developed frozen shoulder syndrome. I still have numbness in the little finger and my fingers still are stiff when I get up in the morning. My elbow and wrist healed nicely, but I now have this other complication. You might want to check on complications on combo surgeries. Better to get all done at once, my system just reacted to it and caused the RSD complcation, that was worse than the surgery itself. It also is not cureable and I should refrain from other surgeries, but this is something they do not know until it happens. I have a super sensitive system. Hopefully you have a good surgeon. I did and am graeful for that, could have been a lot worse otherwise. Good luck.
i had frozen shoulder and ulnar nerve damage by the elbow. Had my combination surgery in June 2006. He had to how he said it **shave a bit off the collar bone and moved the ulnar nerve a bit, before the surgery he thought he was going to move it to the front of the elbow, but when he looked he seen he would only have to move it a bit away to relieve the pain. I fell and damaged both my shoulder and elbow (basically just thought I bruised it) but noticed the **constant** pain like 6 months later. I had the typical EMG exam (am very happy that I had a neurologist that studied this over a year and was very good at it..only had 2 spots where she did it that i some pain but not as bad as some have explained it to me. After the surgery, it was a bit painful, as any surgery would be. The hard part for me was the physical therapy. It was painful, but I have to say, it helped me to recover at a good rate i was told.
I did start having more pain the last 2 months again, a bit in the shoulder (not as bad as it was before) and the pain by the elbow is so bothersome now. The tingling, numbness, and burning going down from the elbow to the inner arm to the pinky and ring finger. Question I have has anyone else experienced this, where they had the surgery and then a cpl yrs later had it back? After my first surgery the pain and tingling went away about 5 months after the surgery. The numbness was still there, but didnt seem to bother me at all. Was used to it and just went on without needing to complain anytime about it. Has anyone else experienced this? Just curious and if so what was done, if you dont mind sharing.
JC,
I had the subcutaneous surgery in June 2009 in addition I had the decompression done in the wrist. Ended up with RSD, which is now in remission. I still have issues. Some days good other days not so good. Tightness in the pinkie and side of the palm, and still get pain in both pinkie and ring finger and sometomes tingling. Sometimes the elbow hurts and forearm. I also do not have full ROM of the arm, and upper arm really hurts at times, especially when I sleep on it. I think it takes a long time to heal and I have heard of recurrences.
Hi! I had a compressed ulnar nerve in my elbow which I had operated on 18 months ago and after wards I was told they also shaved the bone down , Unfortunately I now have it back and am awaiting another operation on it only they are doing it on the inside of my arm this time , I also have a frozen shoulder in the same arm which I have been told will take 2 years to heal ! I am in c
I just had Ulnar Nerve Tranposition surgery on my right elbow on 01/19/2010. So far I have been very pleased with the results. I was concerned about the surgery after reading the experiences of others. I am regaining my ROM, but still have trouble straightening my arm. I had the staples and bandage removed on 1/26/2010. Numbness and tingling sensations are gone so far (doc said they may come and go for awhile). I have been very pleased with the return of better finger coordination. Both typing and writing seem to be easier. I will say that I initially went to a soft tissue doc who did nerve conduction tests, said the nerve was not damaged yet, they couldn’t do anything to help me as far as physical therapy or meds. The instructed me to return in three months to see if the nerve was damaged. I took it upon myself to go to an orthopedic surgeon, he said surgery was the best route. Even though the nerve was not damaged did not mean that it was not compressed. My fear was nerve damage and muscle wasting. My symptoms had gone on for over a year. The surgery itself was not bad. Little to no pain. Biggest pain was washing long hair with one arm LOL! Hope others have a good experience with this surgery as I have!
Did you have the subqutaneous one done and where did you have your surgery done? Sounds you are a lucky person.
I have the same thing as you, with the same details, and I must say I’m nervous about the surgery itself. I wanted to asked you: How long until you recovered enough to go back to work, and how long was the incision? Thanks for the response!
Hi all, I am due for Ulna nerve surgery and carpel tunnel maybe, as My whole hand has decided to play up…I wake up all the time in pain….the never ending ache..not sharp pain, just annoying aching…with pins and needles and often now….swelling in my hand……
The surgeon suggests ulna op, and they want to look at the medium nerve also.
I ride a motorbike, and at times find it dangerous to ride when my pinky and ring finger are too numb to really have decent control of the front brake.
However, I’ve heard so many horrible stories after surgery, that I’m now wandering if I shouldn’t put up with it for a wee bit longer, incase the bloody thing gets much worse after being attached by the surgeons…and recovery time is so long also that I won’t be able to get on my bike.
Has any of you heard about an alternative to the knife!
Fiona
)
Fiona,
you can try therapy, but other than that I do not know of any other methods. Good luck to you.
Dutch
I read all these posts and I am now more scared of this surgery. I am having the more invasive one, transpostion.
I am wondering what is RSD is, now I am more freaked out. How long is the most to be away from work and what kind of pain med’s work best?
Oh srry, I am having mine done March 03,2010. Any advise? Were all of you doing better without pain med’s or while on them? I have taken vicodin with nerve med for almost a year and the vicodin I am now immune to so he give me stronger one. Any insites???
Hi all,
I’m about to undergo my second subq in 2 years. The previous one left my ulnar nerve subluxing with numbness and tingling, although an EC test showed the nerve is working properly. My op is planned for July this year.
Regards
Kai-Lin
kai-lin,
good luck and keep us posted.
I was hurt in 2002 while I worked at Mayo. In 2004, the “best” arm surgeon in the Twin Cities did a radial nerve decompression. since I have had the same symptoms in my hand/arm with cramping, weakness, etc. Finally, I found the actual “best” hand/arm surgeon. He found in 2007 that I had numbness in my pinkie and ring finger, which I had never noticed before and was never tested for by the previous surgeon. The end of 2009, he decided that the last ditch effort to help with the cramping, weakness, and numbness is to try the ulnar nerve transposition. I am a bit reserved after reading a lot of the above, however, he has explained to me that this is a riskier surgery, but things really can’t get much worse because I already have muscle atrophy from the first surgery. I am going to stay possitive. BTW, it took my workers comp 5 months to approve this surgery ~ only after my lawyer wrote a letter to the State of Minnesota Courts to review and force them to approve….
Good luck on your surgery.
Hi, i’m having the ulnar nerve transposition op on Monday 19/04/2010 under general aneasthetic, already had carpal tunnel op to right hand and this showed I had a second prob wi the ulnar nerve. Can anyone tell me what your experience was like having the op under a general anaesthetic and how long you were in theatre. I’ve had loads of ops under a general but for some reason this one is scaring me to death. Whats the recovery like afterwards
Hi all, I’m having the sub trans and carpal tunnel release on the left side on May 12, 2010. Anyone having had both of these done at the same time – how long before you returned to work? I live ~35 miles from work and drive a stick, public transportation and/or carpools are not an option. Once at work, I could hunt-and-peck with my right hand until I regain use of the left side. What kind of pain levels are we talking – vicodin has done little for me in the past.
Hi Clyde,
I had mine done at the same time and was unable to do much for a long time. In addition I developed RSD, so I was out of work for more than 4 moths, and consequently got fired.
Everyone heals different, but I am sure with the stick shift it will take a few weeks depending on your healing. I was able to drive after a few weeks but I had my right arm done and am right handed. Best to check with your surgeon on this one.
Thanks. It’s been about 10 hours since the procedures. While the arm is quite painful, my throat is more of a problem from the anesthesia procedure (breathing tube) than my arm is. Any pressure whatsoever on my fingers sends the pain through the roof, moving them hurts like hell too – but at least they move. As expected, the Vicodin does essentially nothing. I look silly doing it, but resting my arm on top of my head while standing or sitting is much less painful than using the sling. Getting ready to take my next dose of Vicodin and prophylactic anti-biotic and go to bed – needless to say, the anxiety of the surgery didn’t let me sleep well last night, hopefully the Vicodin will take the edge off the pain enough to let me sleep. First post-op follow-up visit on Friday. Will post update then.
So, as expected, the Vicodin did nothing and I think a got a total of about 20 minutes of sleep Wednesday night. Luckily, the pain subsided around 4 Thursday afternoon and I got a decent amount of sleep (although still behind from what I lost on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Follow-up appointment this morning, changed dressings and removed the three drainage tubes – my wrist was still oozing – - surprisingly, my elbow looks and feels much better than I thought it would. Staples used to close the elbow wound and stitches used for the wrist. Physical therapist made and fitted a new splint, and provided my with an array of exercises for my wrist and elbow to start immediately – unfortunately, I listened to her and on the second set my wrist incision started to bleed – - I’ve decided to not do any more of the wrist exercises for now. The arm is swelling now, hopefully it reaches it’s peak soon. Sore throat is nearly gone, that has been the worst part of the whole experience so far. I can touch my thumb to all fingers except the pinky and can hold light objects between my thumb and fingers.
Sutures removed this morning. No problems with the staples at the elbow, which feels just fine – maybe just a little stiff. There has been some minor bleeding from my palm where the CTS incision was made. The transposition, so far, has provided little to no relief of the symptoms in the two small fingers. I still have a small amount of swelling in both the elbow and hand but that should be gone in a couple of more days. I’m slowly gaining more functionality with the hand, but still can’t quite touch the pinky with my thumb.
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Hi Everyone,
I had a submuscular unlner nerve transposition done in 2007 after spending nearly a year getting properly diagnoced. After the surgery I had less pain and tingling but not for long. About 6 months after surgery the scar tissue began to pinch the nerve off again. I had to go back in for a second surgery to try to clean up the area and remove the scar tissue. The surgery was scheduled for 2 hours. I was in the OR for 5 hours. Now here it is another year later and I am in more pain now, have less use of my hand and basically no use of my 2 fingers. I am on a large quantity of pain meds along with 3600 mg of Neurontin and just met with another surgeon yesterday. They have scheduled me for another, my 4th, EMG. Depending on the results, if the nerve is pinched closer to the wrist, they can do another surgery. However, if the nerve is pinched in the elbow, which I am quite certain it is, there is nothing they can do, other than sever the nerve.
Has anyone allowed an ulner nerve to be severed? I am told that it will take away the pain. However, it will also take away my two fingers, along with the atrophy of my forearm. Does anyone have and advice? I am not ready to lose the arm and am scared to death.
Tim,
I wish I could be of assistance. Sounds very frustrating. Please keep me informed of your progress, and best of luck.
I was very glad to find this blog!! About a week and a half ago I had wrist pain (which is common if I do something silly) but then I started having tingling in my fingers. After completely freaking out, I ended up in Urgent Care to learn that it was “probably” ulnar nerve entrapment (by this point, I was feeling some pain in the elbow as well. I was put on prednisone and feeling better: but now the other arm is feeling funny: some numbness in fingers but a general “tired” feeling. My husband is frustrated because I am so worried. I have an appointment with an ortho Tuesday.
My main concern is that I don’t know how much pain is too much or how much is manageable (Meaning, it’s getting better, but takes time). The pain seems to come and go.
Great comment, love the design of the site too.
Hi all,
I’ve been experiencing the tingling and numbness in my right hand since 6/09. It was the result of all the repetitive motion stuff that is part of my job.
Started off with therapy, as well as a few different medications, none of which worked. Went to an ortho surgeon and on 2/23/10 I had a decompression surgery done on my right elbow. For about three weeks after the surgery, my symptoms were gone, or if they were there, they were weak enough for me to not notice.
After the bandage came off, I noticed a slight bruise under the small scar that was left. Right in the middle of the bruise, I could actually see a bump where the nerve ran under my skin. Of course, even light pressure on this bump causes those all-too-well-known sensations.
A few weeks after the bandage came off, I started noticing that my elbow was much more stiff and painful than before. I have a doctor appointment once a month, and at each appointment, I told my doctor about this pain, and showed him the nerve bump. In June, he sent me back to FULL DUTY at work, saying that the exercise would be good for my arm. The symptoms instead got worse and started interfering with my sleep, and now I’m back on disability.
I’m waiting to find out if the submuscular ulnar nerve transposition will be approved by my work’s insurance, and reading everything on this page is freaking me out. I don’t know what else I can do, though, because it seems like I’ve tried everything. I don’t know if another doctor would help.
My arm isn’t too excruciating at the moment, but it’s getting worse and worse. I can’t even have it straight at my side for too long without the familiar buzzing/stinging sensation. On top of that, it seems like it’s taking FOREVER for this ball to get rolling, and I’m wondering if my nerve is getting more and more damaged as more time passes. But now I’m wondering if it even matters, since it appears that the surgery is rather ineffective.
I just don’t know what to do… =(
I had ulnar replacement surgery on April 21, 2011. My “recovery” has never been as expected. I’ve been telling my surgeon that 5 times I have “pulled” my arm causing excruiating pain, and that each time it happens my arm gets worse. Also, the nerve pain is very reactive to how much I use my arm, and is not in the location where the nerve was put. Without even looking at or touching my arm – let alone any testing to check for a problem, my surgeon’s response was to tell me that the pain is all in my head, and gave me antidepressants.
Not sure what to do. If he doesn’t believe me…….
hello, I am getting ready to have right radial nerve decompression, I will be on a breathing tube and i am pretty sure i will be put completly to sleep. I am scared and am wondering about what they will give me for pain or if they will not give me nothing. I am on opana er for sever back pain. but this will be more pain added on. anyone know what they will give me for pain when i wake up and what they will give me to take home?
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I just had the ulnar nerve transposition 13 days ago. the pain from before the surgery pretty much subsided. my problem now is that i cannot straighten it all the way and when i do try i get terrible pain in bicep and inner elbow. my doc told me i needed to use my arm lightly and keep trying to straighten it. I’m afraid to do that do to it still being swollen around the wound. Could this be so or should i be able to have full range even with some swelling. I just want to do whats best for the healing. If that means not forcing things thats fine with me.
I too just had surgery and have similar issues . jon-dee@sbcglobal.net
Hi. I had carpal tunnel and ulner nerve transpoition surgery done on Feb.16,2011. Now, 3 weeks later, I still can’t fully straighten my arm, or lift it over my head. Still pretty tender.Just wondering how yours is coming along, and if you are able to straighten it yet? Do you still have any swelling in your hand or arm?
hi there
im a 27yr female one day post op having had carpel tunnel decompression and cubital tunel release and transportation, at the moment i feel good starting to get pain in the elbow my wrist feels great thoe, alot of numbness, i start hand therypy in 5 days, my condition was not caused by any repititive work, was a work accident where i broke my fingers and sprained my elbow, has anyone else developed this for similar reasons. has been a living nightmare but am finally glad that its over. just hope i can heal back to normal and get on with my life
I had Ulnar Nerve transposition surgery Nov 29,2010. It has relieved 90% of my pain and when I do experience pain is tolerable.
Just recently I started to experience pain in my forearm again. My ortho is scheduling a ultrasound of my shoulder for transferred pain. I hope its nothing serious and just exasperation of my injury.
My sleeping pattern will probably never allow me to be totally pain free. I have always slept with my arm folded above my head or on my side. Once I fall asleep I slip right back into my old sleeping pattern which causes me to toss and turn all night due to the pain/stiffness from bending the elbow for extended period.
I hope everyone gets some form of relief, if not total absence of pain.
im a 45 year old male having had carpel tunnel decompression and cubital tunel release and transportation,
6 weeks post op , have a feeling of vibration in fingers at times
didn’t have this prior to surgery , anyone experence the same ?
Question… I am getting this surgery in about 8 days. My doctor told me that he was going to move my ulnar nerve to my forearm and create a sling for it. Does this procedure involve detaching flexor muscles in the forearm? I understand the anatomy of the region but was never told if it was simply moving the nerve over or it involved detachment. Let me know!
hi ryan i just had subcuteous ulna nerve surgery july25 wish doc put in sling shoulder and neck pain holding arm up go to doc in 1 more week to have bandages removed and stitches out my job is repetative not sure how long i will be off still numbness in fingers could you let me know how your doing
I have a brand new comment below. It tells you everything.
I had Ulnar Nerve Transposition in July of 2007 in Santa Monica, Ca. It took a long time to get my strength back, and I still have trouble sometimes opening bottles and my grip is off (I drop cups a lot), but the pain and numbness is gone. Find a good surgeon and go for it, but seriously make sure you have a good surgeon. I read plenty of horror stories online before my surgery and was terrified I would be in pain forever or have numbness forever, but that is not the case. I’m glad I had the surgery and think all the internet scare tactics is crazy. Sure it won’t work for everyone all the time, nothing does, but if your insurance covers it, you have no reason to not have this surgery.
You are so right about choosing the best surgeon possible. I had my surgery done in Long Beach, Calif by Dr Glossman. He does alot of sport injury surgeries for pro sports teams across the country. I recieved great referrals and post surgery info from past patients. These online horror stories are kinda sad to hear.
Hi. I guess you could say I am a 10 yr veteran. Had both the carpel tunnel and ulna nerve transposition in the elbow done at the same time. And I had to have both arms done. First time was ok because I didnt know what to expect but I have to honestly say I was not so enthusiastic to get the second one done and go thru it all again. But I did and I survived. Most of you have found out by now that it does take awhile to recoup and to gain back pain-free movement, esp from the elbow. My ortho wouldnt perform the operations; a neuro surgeon did. He didnt send me to therapy either – gave only 2 exercises. One was mentioned above – touching your thumb to your other fingers for the wrist and touching your nose with your index finger for the elbow – which took quite awhile to accomplish but was an excellent exercise for regaining flexibility in the old elbow.
Unfortunately I am experiencing some issues again in the right arm. I am right handed plus I use the computer the majority of my long work days so I guess I shouldnt be surprised that a decade can create some problems. It would not surprise me either that my arthritis may be affecting the elbow as well.
But when I think back and remember those sleepless nights of constant pain before the operations and the non-effect of heavy drugs stopping the relentless pain, I realize I have a lot to be grateful for, especially not experiencing that again. I am also old enough (61) to know that nothing is ever quite the same once operated upon and that age will be a factor now as well as my job.
But intent is to be encouraging. I know it is scary and not fool proof but you have to judge your quality of life with the infliction to decide within what course you should take.
God bless you all and I wish you the best results possible.
hi, my name is kaitlynn im 15 and i have to have this surgery is it rly tat bad cuz truth yalls post aint helping me out
don’t do it unless you already can’t function at all and have nothing to lose. my surgeon fucked up very badly and i went from mild numbness in the right wrist to severe cubital tunnel and claw hand deformity and could not move my fingers. i am a scholar doing a phd, and my work is my life. i used to type and now i can only type with one finger. i used to take notes in class and now i can’t. i used to lift groceries, and now my boyfriend lifts them for me. i am literally disabled as a result of the surgery.
i lost 1.5 yrs, and was not employable or eligible for disability since i was a student. finally, i am returning to my studies as a scholar who can’t use her hands.
the sad part is that i used to be fully functional on my right, and i had serious pain in my left. now, i lost all functioning on the right and still have pain on the left.
he performed 2 submuscular ulnar nerve transpositions, and 2 neurolyses to fix the damage, but it was already too late.
i hate him, for not listening to me when i told him my hand felt funny and tingly. he was arrogant and ignored me until it was too late.
to them, surgery is business. they see dollar signs, not people.
my university did not cover anybody else, but now i realize my health is worth any amount of money. it is worth it to pay out of pocket if you don’t trust your surgeon.
avoid anyone who doesn’t listen to you, or is intentionally vague,
In order for you to understand my injury I will have to tell you about it. Two years ago I had severe trauma to my inner elbow. It was hit so hard that my ulnar collateral ligament was Severed. This allowed my nerve to move around my elbow when I bent it, causing pain and numbness over time.
Update! I had the subcutaneous nerve transposition surgery done in July 2011. The Surgery itself was a little painful but it subsided a few days after. One week later the splint came off and 2 weeks later the stitches came out. My arm felt great until about a month later. The subcutaneous sling they created broke and my nerve then began to move over my medial epicondyle again. Went to the doctor and he said the surgery basically failed. On December 20th I will have the sub muscular operation performed. I will let you know everything about it.
If anyone has questions regarding the subcutaneous operation let me know here.
I need the Ulnar transposition surgery and have needed it for 3-4 years. I have the complication of lung disease. I was on the or schedule 1 yr. ago and the day before surgery my lungs went south am doing better now but that is a very high risk factor. I have a Drs. appt. Fri. and will be determined if I am getting the surgery for sure or not. This is the final decision, it is keeping me depressed going back and forth trying to get the nerve to go through with it. I am sooo embarrassed to even say what my main fear is, but I need help, and suggestions!!! I have trouble with my back, left hip, and arm, I can NOT use that hand for personal care, it is short and just will not reach!! Please help me with alternatives and suggestions, I am in major stress constantly worrying about this! I am early 60′s and NOT going to go to a nursing home…period!!! No need to try and talk me into that ! Anyway, how did yall bathroom yourself, and keep clean? And if u have a plate or dentures that are very secure, how did u get them out without using ur arrm?? I am sooo overwhelmed by all this. I have a very low pain tollerance and have been on strong pain meds for over 10 years for my back, I am soo frightened of the pain, and an concerned they won’t be abe to control it, due to my meds I am on and the lung disease. On the other hand, I have constant pain, 24/7 sometimes it lessens and other times it is very bad. Very little numbness but I do get shocks in my hand and down the ar, occasionally un the arm toward the arm pit. What to do?? What do do. Hubby does have a few days off after the day the surgery should be…but the bathroom thing?? omg!!! I am alone much of the time , my only enjoyment is the computer <and I dont know much about it, and other crafty things that I do with that arm. Please help!! Give me some tips…If I agree, the surgery should be on the 19th. of this month. Would appreciate any help and suggestions any of u can offer, please!! Oh! EMG results, the neuro. said the nerve was compressed and it can't get any worse!! NOT very encouraging. THe ortho said he wouldnt do a release that in most cases if thats done they have to do the transposition anyway at another surgery! I had the carpel tunnel done about 3 1/2 mos ago. The hand works fine but still slight pain from the scar tissue , and there is a lot of that!….. HELP!! tia
If you are just getting the subcutaneous transposition surgery, it really is not that bad. The only pain I experienced was when the nerve woke up after the first night. You just get tingling and throbbing feelings. Incision was not painful, and the recovery was really easy. I honestly would not worry about it too much. I was surprised at how quickly and pain free I recovered. They put you in a splint for a week so the compression de-sensitizes you throughout that time. I was able to move my arm once it came out of the splint and told to not pick up items that are to heavy. 3 days after the surgery I think you will be perfectly fine. Must look at it as a necessary thing to keep your arm healthy. You could get severe nerve damage if it goes un treated.
I need the Ulnar transposition surgery and have needed it for 3-4 years. I have the complication of lung disease. I was on the or schedule 1 yr. ago and the day before surgery my lungs went south am doing better now but that is a very high risk factor. I have a Drs. appt. Fri. and will be determined if I am getting the surgery for sure or not. This is the final decision, it is keeping me depressed going back and forth trying to get the nerve to go through with it. I am sooo embarrassed to even say what my main fear is, but I need help, and suggestions!!! I have trouble with my back, left hip, and arm, I can NOT use that hand for personal care, it is short and just will not reach!! Please help me with alternatives and suggestions, I am in major stress constantly worrying about this! I am early 60′s and NOT going to go to a nursing home…period!!! No need to try and talk me into that ! Anyway, how did yall bathroom yourself, and keep clean? And if u have a plate or dentures that are very secure, how did u get them out without using ur arrm?? I am sooo overwhelmed by all this. I have a very low pain tollerance and have been on strong pain meds for over 10 years for my back, I am soo frightened of the pain, and an concerned they won’t be abe to control it, due to my meds I am on and the lung disease. On the other hand, I have constant pain, 24/7 sometimes it lessens and other times it is very bad. Very little numbness but I do get shocks in my hand and down the ar, occasionally un the arm toward the arm pit. What to do?? What do do. Hubby does have a few days off after the day the surgery should be…but the bathroom thing?? omg!!! I am alone much of the time , my only enjoyment is the computer <and I dont know much about it, and other crafty things that I do with that arm. Please help!! Give me some tips…If I agree, the surgery should be on the 19th. of this month. Would appreciate any help and suggestions any of u can offer, please!! Oh! EMG results, the neuro. said the nerve was compressed and it can't get any worse!! NOT very encouraging. THe ortho said he wouldnt do a release that in most cases if thats done they have to do the transposition anyway at another surgery! I had the carpel tunnel done about 3 1/2 mos ago. The hand works fine but still slight pain from the scar tissue , and there is a lot of that!….. HELP!! i have read a lot of horror stories about this surgery and I don’t want one of my own. Thanks!
I’ve been reading about bad results with this surgery and just cancelled mine, which was scheduled for next week. The surgeon does less than 20 of these surgeries per year and, since the problem is with my dominant hand, I decided to find someone more experienced. Has anyone found a good surgeon in the Northeast?
I had surgery for decompression for my ulnar nerve and since having it done I have had more problems than ever and am now looking at a more severe surgery with a longer recovery time. This has become a huge headache both physically and financially.
I had ulnar nerve transposition and tennis elbow surgery done on 12/22/2011 and was in a cast for 10 days. I have to tell you that this was one wicked surgery for me. I am 33 days post-op right now and still can’t hold a coffee cup. My incision from the ulnar nerve transposition is still very sore and I have quite a bit of swelling. My fine motor skills, well lets put it this way my handing writing is not very good and it hurts to write. I had a visit with my Doctor today and he does not want to release me to back to work until 02/28/2012. My husband seems to think that this is crazy.
My suggestion for the ladies who are going to have this done is short sleeve or overly big night gowns. For anyone who is thinking about having this done make sure you have a good support system at home because your going to need it. I was hung out to dry with no support or help from my husband and it was sink or swim for me. I was told I couldn’t drive for 2 weeks after the surgery, but had to go out each day to a restaurant to get myself something to eat. I would not suggest driving if your doctor is telling you not to. I had no choice. I am very aggravated with the inability to do simple things such as write my name and hold a coffee cup. I am wondering how long this going to last. I’m in physical therapy and have been 3 times a week since my cast came off. The therapist say’s that I am making good progress. I don’t know, maybe I would feel differently if I had the support that I needed at home.
Maysa
Have any of you ever heard of a surgery in which the ulnar nerve was moved BACK to the cubital tunnel after it was transposed?
This is my situation: six years ago, I dislocated my ulnar nerve while trying too hard to lift weights in the gym of a college I used to go to. I didn’t say anything about it for about 4-5 years until it got to be too much for me. My nerve would constantly move around in the outside of my inner elbow, and I felt sharp shocks at worst if I bent my arm the wrong way or hit that area, and a constantly lingering tugging sensation at best.
So, I had the submuscular ulnar nerve transposition surgery (I was told my arms were probably too scrawny for the subcutaneous one to work).
Most of my pain is gone, but I still occasionally feel shocks in my elbow, almost half the time I try to lift anything with my arms… which makes weight lifting impractical for me and even interferes with a few basic things like changing clothes. I talked to my surgeon again recently, and he told me that a tendon was passing over and pressing down on my nerve now, because of where that nerve was affixed to because of my prior surgery. He thought the tendon was inflamed (golfer’s elbow?), gave me a cortisone injection to bring down the swelling, and sent me on my way.
Three days later, and I’m still feeling these shocks. My arm doesn’t feel any different.
What I don’t understand, is why my nerve can’t just be moved back into the cubital tunnel, where it was when I was born. My surgeon told me that some people’s ligaments just can’t hold the nerve in that tunnel and they were just born that way, insinuating that I was such a person, but I have never had any problems once with my nerve prior to the first time I popped it out of the tunnel, six years ago. Not once before that.
Do I at least have strong enough of a case to seek a second opinion from a different surgeon?
Wow i hear so many of you having issues with your hands even after surgery, I will have my surgery in 2 days i am looking into how i will function after it is all done. i am very happy and worried not that i see what can be the results, i don’t want to be in more pain. I am in the Navy, so if any thing goes bad the gov will take care of me that means the Navy will kick me out and give me some money….that of course ain’t worth the pain so i hope it all goes will. we all know too well things can go bad even when all the necessary steps are taken. so wish you all the best and i hope my ulnar nerve compression surgery goes well.
G Sparman
U.S Navy