Percentage of nerve injuries in which primary repair can be achieved by end-to-end approximation: review of 2,181 nerve lesions.
Primary nerve repair yields better results than secondary reconstruction but is not always possible. We reviewed a series of 2,181 fresh nerve injuries of the upper limb. One nerve only was injured in 41% of the patients; two or more in 59%. One thousand four hundred eighty-two injuries (68%) were located in the digits. The injured limb segment was lost or beyond repair in 387 cases (18% of all cases). In the 1,794 remaining injuries, primary treatment was accomplished by end-to-end suture 1,568 times (87%) and by graft 33 times (> 2%) and was impossible in 193 cases (11%).
de Medinaceli
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L
Service de Chirurgie Plastique et Reconstructrice de l'Appareil Locomoteur, Hopital Jeanne d'Arc, Dommartin-les-Toul, France.
Prayon
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M
Merle
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D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D001132:Arm / Q000294:innervation; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D016067:Nerve Transfer / Q000379:methods; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000601:surgery; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000601:surgery; D013536:Suture Techniques