Lateral antebrachial cutaneous neuropathy

Lateral antebrachial cutaneous neuropathy is an uncommon, but easily overlooked, cause of elbow pain in the throwing athlete. Compression of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve by the biceps tendon occurs at the nerve's exit point from the brachial fascia just proximal to the elbow flexion crease. Symptoms include pain in the anterolateral elbow and burning dysesthesias radiating into the lateral forearm, particularly when the forearm is fully pronated with the elbow extended. Patients are initially treated conservatively with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, rest, activity modification, and extension block splinting. For those patients who do not respond to nonoperative treatment, surgical decompression of the nerve under local anesthesia provides complete relief of symptoms and return to full activity.

Duke Scholars

Author James Albert Nunley II Orthopaedic Surgery