To observe the impact of electrical stimulation with the alternating application of low and high frequencies on surgical effectiveness of cubital tunnel syndrome.

To select 168 patients with failed conservative treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome, randomly divided into four groups of ABCD, each size of 42. Group A was not given any electrical stimulation. Group B was given low frequency (3 Hz) electrical stimulation. Group C received high frequency (15 Hz) electrical stimulation. Group D received alternating (3 Hz/15 Hz) electrical stimulation. After the release of nerve compression, all patients were given corresponding electrical stimulation and EMG monitoring. The follow-up on patients was carried out on the 1st day, 3rd month and 6th month, to record the Lovett muscle grading, Gu′s cubital tunnel syndrome function score, MCV and other indicators. Comparative analysis was used between preoperative and postoperative statistics. T test was used for comparison between the two groups, and anova was used for comparison between multiple groups, P<0.05 considered to be statistically significant.

The differences between the four groups before the operation is trivial (t=1.200, P>0.05); There is no significant difference in the Lovett muscle grading on the 1st day after the operation (t=1.622, P>0.05); Group D showed superior results to the other three groups (t=7.200, P<0.05) in the 3rd and 6th months after the operation. No significant difference was identified in the excellent rate (23.81%, 28.57%, 26.19%, 28.57%) of the four groups of Gu′s cubital tunnel syndrome function score on 1st day after the operation (t=0.946, P>0.05); At 3rd month after the operation, the group D′s excellent rate (73.81%) was significantly higher than group B (61.90%) and group D (50.00%). Group A as the control group showed the lowest excellent rate (42.86%) (t=7.285, P<0.05). The MCV of patients in group D (62.88±11.87) was significantly better than the other three groups(48.57±9.39, 53.68±9.69, 51.20±10.57,t=8.494, 7.200, 6.350, P<0.05) and had returned to normal at 3rd month after the operation with little subsequent change afterwards until the 6th month(t=1.100, P>0.05).

Electrical stimulation alternating application of low and high frequencies has some advantages over a single low-frequency or high-frequency electrical stimulation, which can effectively improve the surgical release prognosis of patients with cubital tunnel syndrome.

Intraoperative electeical stimulation; Cubital tunnel syndrome; Electrical stimulation with alternating between low and high; Postoperative efficacy