Safety of Cubital Tunnel Release Under General versus Regional Anesthesia

Courtney R Carlson Strother,1 Lauren E Dittman,1 Marco Rizzo,1 Steven L Moran,2 Peter C Rhee1 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; 2Department of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USACorrespondence: Peter C Rhee, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN, USA, 55905, Tel +1 507-284-3422, Fax +1 507-266-2533, Email rhee.peter@mayo.eduPurpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of early (< 6 weeks) post-operative complications following ulnar nerve decompressions at the cubital tunnel performed under regional anesthesia compared to those performed under general anesthesia.Methods: In situ ulnar nerve decompressions at the cubital tunnel performed at a single institution from 2012 through 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Post-operative complications were compared between subjects who underwent the procedure with regional versus general anesthesia.Results: Ninety-one ulnar nerve in situ decompressions were included in the study, which were performed under regional anesthesia in 55 and general anesthesia in 36 cases. The occurrence of post-operative complications was not significantly different between patients who received regional (n = 7) anesthesia and general (n = 8) anesthesia. None of the complications were directly attributed to the type of anesthesia administered. The change in pre- and post-operative McGowan scores were not significantly different between anesthesia groups (p = 0.81).Conclusion: In situ ulnar nerve decompression at the cubital tunnel under regional anesthesia does not result in increased post-operative complications compared to those surgeries performed under general anesthesia. In situ ulnar nerve decompression performed under regional anesthesia is a safe and reliable option for patients who wish to avoid general anesthesia.Level of Evidence: III.Keywords: cubital tunnel, regional anesthesia, ulnar neuropathy