Medial Approach to Elbow Joint

Medial Approach to Elbow Joint (see comments 👇🏼👇🏼):

🔴 Its uses:

1.decompression and/or transposition of the ulnar nerve

2.Ulnar removal of loose bodies

  1. ORIF of the ulnar coronoid process and the medial humeral condyle and epicondyle.

  2. debridement and reattachment of common flexor wad for medial epicondylitis

🔴 Position of the Patient

Supine with arm flexed and supported by arm board over the patient.

🔴 Landmarks and Incision

▪️Landmarks:

Medial epicondyle of the humerus.

▪️Incision:

Make a Curved incision 8 to 10 cm long on the medial aspect of the elbow, Centered over the medial epicondyle.

🔴 Internervous plane

▪️Proximally between:

🏁Brachialis muscle: which innervate by the musculocutaneous nerve.

🏁Triceps muscle: which innervate by the radial nerve.

▪️Distally between:

🏁Brachialis muscle: which innervate by the musculocutaneous nerve.

🏁Pronator teres muscle: which innervate by the median nerve.

🔴 Superficial dissection

Incise the fascia over the ulnar nerve starting proximally

Iisolate nerve along the entire length of the incision

Expose the common flexor origin on the medial epicondyle

Develop brachialis and PT interval

Avoid the median nerve which enters PT near the midline

If necessary can perform osteotomy of the medial epicondyle

Osteotomy is reflected distally

Ensure retained MCL ligament into osteotomy fragment

Develop brachialis and triceps interval

🔴 Deep dissection

Incise capsule and medial collateral ligament

🔴 Dangerous:

  1. Ulnar nerveis at risk during approachmust be dissected out to ensure protection

  2. Median nerve aggressive traction on the osteotomy fragment can cause a traction injury to the median and anterior interosseous nerves.