Surgical repair of peripheral nerves in lower extremities.
OBJECTIVE
Present study reports the results of 48 operations performed on 48 nerves of lower extremities in 48 patients during the period of 15 years from 1985 to 1999. Basic lines of surgical treatment of various injuries of nerves in lower extremities are presented in the study.


METHODS
24 patients were treated by external neurolysis, 24 patients were treated by reconstruction operations. Reconstruction operations were performed either by suture of peripheral nerve (10 cases) or more frequently, by neural graft (14 cases). Complete and persisting neurological deficit and the absence of nerve action potentials were the indications for the surgical repair. The absence of nerve electrical properties potentials was an important criterion for the determination of the type of surgical intervention. Analysis of the effectiveness of surgical treatment was performed with respect to following parameters: period between the injury and operation, patient age, character of the injury, type of injured nerve, type of surgical intervention.


RESULTS
The best results were observed for external neurolysis. Improved results of reconstruction operations were achieved for operation by suture compared to operations by nerve graft. Good and excellent results (not dependent on the character of surgical treatment, character and location of the injury, time period between the injury and surgical repair and on the age of the patient) were typical for treatment of n. tibialis.


CONCLUSIONS
Early surgical revision associated with neurolysis and eventually with reconstruction surgery is very important in indicated cases. (Tab. 5, Ref. 10.)
Matejcik
V
V
Neurosurgical Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia. bll@fmed.uniba.sk
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000294:innervation*; D008297:Male; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000601:surgery*; D013812:Therapeutics