title: Evaluation of the improvement of sensibility after primary median nerve repair at the wrist.
abstract: In the Istanbul Hand Surgery and Microsurgery Centre, between 1991-1996, 28 out of 54 patients who had clean-cut median nerve laceration at the wrist level were evaluated in a detailed manner regarding the improvement of sensibility following primary repair. Semmes-Weinstein monofilament and vibration tests form the group of threshold tests, and static and dynamic two-point discrimination tests and the Moberg pick-up test form the group of functional tests which were applied to the patients. Follow-up was from 1 to 5 years. Moreover, subjective findings such as cold intolerance, pain, and paraesthesia were also evaluated. All the results obtained were evaluated in relation to the SO-S4 sensibility improvement criterion which Waylett-Rendall recommended. The following results were obtained: S4 in 35.7% of the patients, S3+ in 28.5%, S3 in 14.2%, S2+ in 7.14%, S2 in 10.7%, and S1 in 3.5%. In our opinion the most important reason for the high rate of success was the fact that we worked with a highly selective group of patients and the fact that there was a high rate of young patients in this group (21.4% of them were under the age of 15). It was observed that there was a significant correlation between age and functional sensibility improvement (P = 0.04). Moreover, when we observed the relation between age and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament, static two-point discrimination, and dynamic two-point discrimination tests, it was seen that age had a significant correlation with each of the parameters (r = 0.61, P = 0.001; r = 0.58, P = 0.002; r = 0.57, P = 0.002). There was a clear decline in the intensity of the paraesthesia in S3+ and S4 group (X2 = 4.7, P = 0.02) and in these groups the period of Moberg pick-up test was meaningfully short (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Istanbul Hand Surgery and Microsurgery Centre, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polatkan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orhun
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Polatkan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nuzumlali
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bayri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D012677:Sensation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*