Exploring Outcomes and Mediating Factors Following Supercharged End-to-Side Anterior Interosseous Nerve to Ulnar Nerve Transfer: A Scoping Review With Expert Insight

Purpose: This scoping review with expert insight aims to map outcome measures following supercharged end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve to ulnar nerve transfer procedures, integrating clinical, patient-reported, and electrodiagnostic measures. It also explores surgical rationale and recovery trajectories, aiming to standardize methodologies and enhance patient care in nerve transfer surgeries.

Methods: Our search encompassed multiple online databases, including MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Google Scholar, ensuring rigor and comprehensiveness in identifying relevant literature.

Results: Through scrutiny of 17 studies involving 300 patients from 300 articles, along with expert consultations on supercharged end-to-side nerve transfer for ulnar nerve entrapment, promising outcomes emerge, particularly in cubital tunnel syndrome. Primary measures such as Medical Research Council scale assessments and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores demonstrate notable postsurgery improvements, with minor complications noted. Factors influencing recovery include preoperative dysfunction duration and surgical technique. Surgery indications prioritize high ulnar nerve injuries and severe cubital tunnel syndrome.

Conclusions: The review highlights the importance of standardized outcome measures, early intervention, and comprehensive rehabilitation for optimizing supercharged end-to-side anterior interosseous nerve to ulnar nerve transfer outcomes.

Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic IIIa.