Topography of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve between genders: a cadaveric study with potential clinical implications

Costa, Alfio Luca; Natsis, Konstantinos; Romeo, Marco; Piagkou, Maria; Bassetto, Franco; Tiengo, Cesare; Battiston, Bruno; Titolo, Paolo; Papadopulos, Nikolaos und Colonna, Michele Rosario (2022): Topography of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve between genders: a cadaveric study with potential clinical implications. In: Journal of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, Bd. 57, Nr. 1-6: S. 178-180

Abstract

The lack of meticulous knowledge concerning the topographical anatomy of the deep branch of the ulnar nerve (DUN) may pose difficulties, leading to a delay or a misdiagnosis of a DUN injury. Identification of the DUN is quite difficult without precise anatomical landmarks as reference points. The current study investigates the topography of the DUN between genders, taking as a reference point a well-known landmark, the Kaplan line, used in hand surgery for carpal tunnel release. Twenty-two (15 males and 7 female) fresh frozen adult cadaveric hands were dissected by using magnifying loupes (3.5 and 5.0 x). We marked values proximal to the Kaplan line as positive (+), while we marked distal ones as negative (-). The mean distance DUN-Kaplan line was 1.69 +/- 4.45 mm. In male hands, the mean distance was 4.17 +/- 1.88 mm, distal to the Kaplan line, while in females, the mean distance was -4.92 +/- 0.69 mm proximal to the Kaplan line. Gender dimorphism was detected, with higher statistically significant values in male hands (p = 0.001). Cadaveric studies of the DUN topography, course, and distribution pattern are uncommon. The current study provides an accurate description of the DUN topography, taking the Kaplan line as a reference point, emphasizing gender differences. The DUN is located distally in males and proximally in females. Knowledge of these predictable anatomical relations may help hand surgeons intraoperatively when dealing with a DUN lesion, because of hand trauma or during the decompression of the DUN.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 2000-656X
• Sprache: Englisch