Boy from Thailand receives elbow correction and ulnar nerve surgery in Foshan
Three-dimensional planning supported treatment of a childhood injury-related deformity, followed by rehabilitation and a return visit.
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A boy from Thailand underwent elbow deformity correction and ulnar nerve surgery at Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The May 22, 2025 account describes three-dimensional planning, postoperative rehabilitation and a follow-up visit from Thailand in late April.
An old injury affected both shape and hand function
Known as Xiao Zhou, the boy had developed an inward deformity of the left elbow after a childhood fall. Despite conservative treatment locally, the deformity worsened over the years, with hand muscle wasting and finger numbness.
His family had sought options in several countries before choosing Foshan's pediatric orthopedic team.
Detailed examination by Li Weiqiang's team identified left cubitus varus and an upper-arm ulnar nerve injury. Longstanding deformity had compressed the nerve, so the plan needed to address function as well as bone alignment.
Three-dimensional planning and a combined operation
Because the boy was still growing, the team reviewed imaging and used three-dimensional modelling to plan the surgical route.
Surgeons performed corrective osteotomy with internal fixation and explored, released and moved the ulnar nerve to an anterior position. The osteotomy adjusted the alignment of the distal humerus while the nerve procedure relieved compression.
The postoperative programme incorporated rehabilitation guided by the hospital's integrated Chinese and Western orthopedic approach.
Early rehabilitation and later review
One week after surgery, elbow function had markedly improved. The rehabilitation nursing team provided individualized treatment including herbal fumigation and medium-frequency electrical stimulation.
Before discharge, Xiao Zhou could independently carry out daily activities. His father said doctors demonstrated rehabilitation movements during daily rounds and nurses wrote encouraging notes in Thai.
In late April, father and son returned from Thailand for review. The report described the left hand's appearance as normal and said numbness had disappeared.