Final answer:
Ulnar nerve transposition aims to alleviate ulnar nerve entrapment by relocating the nerve to a position where it is less likely to experience compression, such as from the cubital tunnel to a less constricted area over the flexor muscles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The goal of the ulnar nerve transposition is to free the ulnar nerve from the area where it is being compressed to alleviate symptoms and prevent further injury. This procedure is often performed to address issues like ulnar nerve entrapment, which can occur in several areas around the elbow, such as the ulnar groove at the medial epicondyle of the humerus, the cubital tunnel, or beneath the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle.
Ulnar nerve entrapment can lead to pain, numbness, and muscle weakness in the hand and forearm, which are symptoms commonly associated with this nerve compression. Transposition of the ulnar nerve involves surgically relocating the nerve to a position where it is less likely to be compressed, often from within the cubital tunnel to a location either in front of or within the soft tissue over the flexor muscles (submuscular or subcutaneous transposition).