A case of cubital tunnel syndrome caused by the snapping of the medial head of the triceps brachii muscle

The snapping elbow: A diagnostic pitfall

“…[2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Together with the present study, 17 cases in 15 patients have been reported. The mean age at presentation was 23 years (range, 12-45 years).…”

“…In 1970 Rolfzen 7 first noted that the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with a painful, snapping sensation at the medial epicondyle includes an aberrant tendon at the medial muscular edge of the triceps. There have been 6 additional reports [2][3][4][5][6]8 of 11 patients (13 limbs) since, but it is still not a widely recognized entity. We present 3 cases of snapping triceps and review the literature to explore the presenting features that may alert the clinician to the diagnosis and surgical pitfalls.…”

Elbow anatomy and structural biomechanics

“…The nerve enters the cubital tunnel, posterior and inferior to the medial epicondyle. This is a common area of compression or irritation due to a subluxation/dislocation of the nerve with repetitive flexion activities, compression from ulnohumeral synovitis, or even a snapping tricep tendon [19].The nerve then passes between the ulnar and humeral heads of the flexor carpi ulnaris, where it can be compressed by Osbourne's ligament [17].…”

Tardy ulnar nerve palsy in cubitus varus deformity associated with ulnar nerve dislocation in adults

“…3,5 Ogino et al 9 speculated that the ulnar nerve became compressed by the anteromedial movement of the medial head of the triceps brachii due to cubitus varus deformity. Spinner et al 10 revealed that tardy ulnar nerve palsy was caused by friction neuritis and that the ulnar nerve was frequently displaced anterior to the ulnar groove due to hypoplasia of the medial epicondyle.…”

“…Recently, though, functional problems of posterolateral instability or tardy ulnar nerve palsy have been reported. [1][2][3][4][5][7][8][9][10]12 Causative factors such as instability of the nerve, internal rotation deformity, and snapping of triceps have been described in the literature. We reviewed the clinical and operative findings of 7 patients who had tardy ulnar nerve palsy caused by a cubitus varus deformity and analyzed the clinical results of operative treatment and its effect on electromyography (EMG).…”