{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,14]],"date-time":"2026-06-14T05:43:31Z","timestamp":1781415811110,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":14,"publisher":"Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group (JNSPG)","issue":"1","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JNS"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2011,1]]},"abstract":"\nObject<\/jats:title>\nThe palmar cutaneous branch of the ulnar nerve (PCUN) has received little attention in the literature, and to the authors' knowledge, has received no attention in the neurosurgical literature. The present study was performed to help the surgeon minimize postoperative complications of nerve decompression at the wrist.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n\nMethods<\/jats:title>\nForty cadaveric upper limbs underwent dissection of the ulnar nerve in the forearm, at the wrist, and in the palm. The PCUN was investigated and when identified, measurements were made and relationships documented between this cutaneous branch and the ulnar artery. The length and width of the PCUN were measured, as was the distance from the medial epicondyle of the humerus to the origin of the PCUN from the ulnar nerve.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n\nResults<\/jats:title>\nA PCUN was found on 90% of sides. The origin of the PCUN from the ulnar nerve was found to lay a mean of 14.3 cm distal to the medial epicondyle. The mean length and width of this branch were 13 and 0.08 cm, respectively. In the forearm, the PCUN traveled lateral to the ulnar artery on 75% of sides and on the medial side of this vessel on the remaining sides. The PCUN perforated the fascia of the anterior forearm just proximal to the distal wrist crease. In the palm, the PCUN traveled superficial to the superficial palmar arch on all but 5 sides, where it traveled deep to this vascular structure's distal extent. On 2 sides each, the PCUN communicated with the superficial and deep ulnar nerves. On 2 sides, the PCUN communicated with the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve. The majority of the terminal fibers of the PCUN were found on the ulnar side of a hypothetical line drawn longitudinally through the fourth digit and supplied an area roughly 3 \u00d7 3 cm over the proximal medial palm.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>\n\nConclusions<\/jats:title>\nThe authors hope that the present data may be useful to the surgeon during decompressive procedures at the wrist, such as carpal tunnel and the Guyon canal. Based on this study, skin incisions of the palm made longitudinally along a line through the middle of the fourth digit would minimize injury to the PCUN.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3171\/2010.3.jns091249","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2010,4,2]],"date-time":"2010-04-02T11:51:44Z","timestamp":1270209104000},"page":"263-267","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":31,"title":["Anatomy of the palmar branch of the ulnar nerve: application to ulnar and median nerve decompressive surgery"],"prefix":"10.3171","volume":"114","author":[{"given":"R. Shane","family":"Tubbs","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jason M.","family":"Rogers","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, Alabama;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marios","family":"Loukas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ayhan","family":"C\u00f6mert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Anatomy, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey;"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohammadali M.","family":"Shoja","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clarian Neuroscience Institute, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group and Indiana University Department of Neurosurgery, Indianapolis, Indiana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aaron A.","family":"Cohen-Gadol","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clarian Neuroscience Institute, Indianapolis Neurosurgical Group and Indiana University Department of Neurosurgery, Indianapolis, Indiana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1754","reference":[{"key":"b1-jns091249","series-title":"Clinical Anatomy","author":"April","year":"1997"},{"key":"b2-jns091249","series-title":"Ann Plast Surg","first-page":"23","article-title":"Cutaneous distribution of the ulnar nerve in the palm: does it cross the incision used in carpal tunnel release?","volume":"35","author":"Born","year":"1995"},{"key":"b3-jns091249","series-title":"Clin Orthop Relat Res","first-page":"24","article-title":"The significance of the palmar cutaneous nerve at the wrist","volume":"83","author":"Carroll","year":"1972"},{"key":"b4-jns091249","series-title":"Surgical Anatomy of the Hand and Upper Extremity","author":"Doyle","year":"2003"},{"key":"b5-jns091249","series-title":"J Hand Surg Am","first-page":"26","article-title":"Palmar cutaneous branch of the ulnar nerve","volume":"5","author":"Engber","year":"1980"},{"key":"b6-jns091249","series-title":"J Hand Surg Am","first-page":"38","article-title":"Palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve","volume":"15","author":"Hobbs","year":"1990"},{"key":"b7-jns091249","series-title":"Orthop Rev","first-page":"346","article-title":"Complications associated with carpal tunnel release","volume":"20","author":"Kuschner","year":"1991"},{"key":"b8-jns091249","series-title":"J Neurosurg","first-page":"352","article-title":"Complications of carpal tunnel surgery","volume":"62","author":"Louis","year":"1985"},{"key":"b9-jns091249","series-title":"J Hand Surg Am","first-page":"70","article-title":"Complications of surgical release for carpal tunnel syndrome","volume":"3","author":"MacDonald","year":"1978"},{"key":"b10-jns091249","series-title":"J Hand Surg Am","first-page":"634","article-title":"The cutaneous innervation of the palm: an anatomic study of the ulnar and median nerves","volume":"21","author":"Martin","year":"1996"},{"key":"b11-jns091249","series-title":"J Hand Surg Am","first-page":"784","article-title":"The nerve of Henl\u00e9","volume":"15","author":"McCabe","year":"1990"},{"key":"b12-jns091249","series-title":"J Hand Surg Am","first-page":"283","article-title":"Anatomic localization of sympathetic nerves in the hand","volume":"8","author":"Morgan","year":"1983"},{"key":"b13-jns091249","series-title":"Surg Radiol Anat","article-title":"Definition of a safe-zone in open carpal tunnel surgery: a cadaver study","author":"Ozcanli","year":"2009"},{"key":"b14-jns091249","series-title":"J Bone Joint Surg Am","first-page":"1212","article-title":"The palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve and the approach to the carpal tunnel. An anatomical study","volume":"55","author":"Taleisnik","year":"1973"}],"container-title":["Journal of Neurosurgery"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/view\/journals\/j-neurosurg\/114\/1\/article-p263.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/downloadpdf\/journals\/j-neurosurg\/114\/1\/article-p263.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/downloadpdf\/journals\/j-neurosurg\/114\/1\/article-p263.xml","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2023,3,27]],"date-time":"2023-03-27T05:59:10Z","timestamp":1679896750000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/thejns.org\/view\/journals\/j-neurosurg\/114\/1\/article-p263.xml"}},"subtitle":["Laboratory investigation"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2011,1]]},"references-count":14,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1"},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3171\/2010.3.jns091249","relation":{},"ISSN":["0022-3085","1933-0693"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0022-3085","type":"print"},{"value":"1933-0693","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2011,1]]}}}