Cubital tunnel surgery frees the ulnar nerve where it passes behind the inner bump of the elbow, the spot known as the funny bone. Pressure there causes numbness in the little and ring fingers and clumsiness of the hand.
It halts further nerve damage and usually improves tingling. Established muscle wasting in the hand and a clawed little finger often recover only partly, which is why timing matters.
What Cubital Tunnel Surgery involves
A curved cut of 6 to 10 cm is made over the inner elbow, avoiding small skin nerves. The ulnar nerve is found above the elbow and followed down, dividing every tight band over it: the fascia above the elbow, the roof of the cubital tunnel itself (Osborne's ligament) and the fascia between the two heads of the forearm flexor muscle. The elbow is then bent and straightened. If the nerve stays in its groove, a simple release is enough. If it snaps forward over the bone, it is moved to the front of the elbow and laid under the fat or under the muscle, or a slice of the bony bump is removed. The wound is closed in layers with a bulky dressing.
Who is a good candidate for Cubital Tunnel Surgery?
Considered when nerve tests confirm compression at the elbow and symptoms persist after avoiding prolonged elbow bending and night splinting.
- Persistent numbness of the little and ring fingers for more than 3 months
- Weak grip or pinch, or visible thinning of hand muscles
- Slowed conduction across the elbow on nerve studies
- A nerve that painfully flicks over the elbow bone
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Mild, intermittent symptoms that settle with posture changes
- Numbness arising from the neck or from Guyon's canal at the wrist
- Generalised neuropathy without a focal block at the elbow
- People expecting full recovery of long standing muscle wasting
الخيارات التقنية
- In situ decompression: Releases the tunnel without moving the nerve; first choice for most patients.
- Subcutaneous transposition: Moves the nerve in front of the elbow under the fat, used when it is unstable.
- Submuscular transposition: Places the nerve under the flexor muscles, mostly for revision or very thin patients.
- Medial epicondylectomy: Removes part of the bony prominence so the nerve glides freely.
ماذا يحدث خلال علاجك
It takes 30 to 60 minutes under general anaesthetic or a regional arm block, as a day case. You go home with a padded bandage, sometimes a sling, and the arm may stay numb for several hours from the block.
الإعداد لرحلتك
Plan for 5 to 7 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
التعافي والنتائج
After simple release you move the elbow straight away and do light tasks within days. After transposition the elbow may be rested in a splint for 1 to 2 weeks. Stitches come out at about 2 weeks; heavy lifting waits 6 weeks. Nerves recover at roughly 1 mm per day, so sensation can keep improving for 12 to 18 months.
- Back to everyday activity: 1 to 3 weeks for desk work
- When results show: Tingling eases over weeks; strength over months
- How long they last: Lasting in most people
سياسة السلامة والمخاطر والتنقيح
The operation is generally safe; the main uncertainty is how much the nerve will recover.
- Numb or sensitive patch below the scar from a cut skin nerve
- Incomplete recovery of sensation or strength
- Recurrent compression from scar tissue
- Nerve instability after simple release, occasionally needing a second procedure
- Elbow stiffness or tenderness when leaning on it
- Haematoma or infection
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Cubital Tunnel Surgery in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Cubital Tunnel Surgery, because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Simple release versus transposition
- Type of anaesthesia
- Nerve conduction and ultrasound studies beforehand
- Revision surgery, which is more complex
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
How is this different from carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel affects the median nerve at the wrist and the thumb side fingers. Cubital tunnel affects the ulnar nerve at the elbow and the little finger side.
Will my hand strength come back?
Often partly. The longer and more severe the compression, the less complete the muscle recovery.
Can I avoid surgery?
Mild cases often settle if you stop leaning on the elbow and keep it fairly straight at night with a soft splint for 2 to 3 months.