ContactTalk toa real person.Two clinics, one number to call or text. Same-day appointments for acute injuries whenever we can. The front desk will match you with the right surgeon.
The ulnar nerve runs behind the inner elbow in a shallow groove, the funny bone, and stretches with every bend.
Pressure or traction there causes numbness in the ring and small fingers and, over time, weakness in the hand.Release opens the tissue roof over the nerve. When the nerve is unstable or the groove is shallow, the surgeon moves it to the front of the elbow, a transposition.
Surgery fits patients with persistent numbness despite elbow padding and night splinting, especially with nerve testing that confirms compression or any hand weakness or muscle wasting.Mild intermittent symptoms often improve by keeping the elbow straighter at night and off hard surfaces.
Cubital Tunnel Release
What to Expect
Outpatient surgery under general anesthesia or a regional block, thirty to sixty minutes.A soft dressing or splint for a few days to two weeks depending on whether the nerve was moved.Dr. Johnson, Dr. Frazier and Dr. Peterson all perform both techniques and will explain which fits your anatomy.Outpatient surgery at a Utah Valley surgery center, with hand therapy arranged near your home in Provo, Orem or Lehi. Dr. Johnson, Dr. Frazier and Dr. Peterson operate at Utah Valley Hospital and Orem Community Hospital.
Cubital Tunnel Release
Recovery Timeline
Motion begins within days for a simple release.After transposition, the elbow is protected for about two weeks, then motion resumes. Desk work within a week or two, lifting at six weeks.Tingling often improves quickly. Constant numbness and weakness recover over months and sometimes incompletely if long-standing.
Milestones
Days 1 to 3Motion (simple release)
Week 2Motion (transposition)
Week 1 to 2Desk work
Week 6Lifting
Cubital Tunnel Release
Risks and Considerations
Incomplete relief, tenderness over the nerve and elbow stiffness are the common issues.Infection and nerve injury are rare.Severe long-term compression can leave permanent numbness; surgery prevents further loss.
Cubital Tunnel Release
Your Surgeons
Dr. Johnson, Dr. Frazier and Dr. Peterson perform this procedure at Utah Valley Hospital, Orem Community Hospital, American Fork Hospital and Mountain View Hospital.
ContactTalk toa real person.Two clinics, one number to call or text. Same-day appointments for acute injuries whenever we can. The front desk will match you with the right surgeon.
