Nerve injuries about the elbow: treatment options

Nerve injuries about the elbow are potentially devastating to patients and surgeons. The three main nerves that provide significant motor and sensory function distal to the level of the elbow are the radial, ulnar, and median nerves. The timing, location, and mechanism of the injury, as well as patient factors, dictate whether repair or reconstruction is most appropriate for the peripheral nerve deficit. Standard distal tendon transfers provide reconstructive options to regain motor function. Recently developed nerve transfer techniques may offer an opportunity to restore more normal distal muscle control and sensation without extensive retraining or donor-site morbidity.