Radial nerve injuries from gunshot wounds and other trauma: comparison of electrodiagnostic findings.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the difference and similarity of radial nerve injury in gunshot wounds compared to blunt trauma with regard to level of injury, completeness of injury, and other associated nerve injury.


METHODS
This study was a retrospective review of electrophysiologic data performed in an electromyographic laboratory of a county hospital. A total of 67 consecutive patients had gunshot wounds or other trauma to the radial nerve during a 7-yr period (1992-1998). Forty patients met the criteria for this study. The radial nerve injury was categorized according to the level of involvement and completeness of injury. The relationship between the etiology, level of injury, completeness of injury, and other associated nerve injury was analyzed via Fisher's exact test.


RESULTS
There was no difference in the level of radial nerve injury, completeness of nerve injury, and associated nerve involvement between gunshot wound cases and blunt trauma cases.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to the upper and lower extremity traumatic plexopathy in which differences were seen, our study showed that gunshot wound-induced radial nerve injury is similar to injury induced by other trauma in the factors measured.
Guo
Ying
Y
Department of Symptom Control and Palliative Care, Section of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Chiou-Tan
Faye Y
FY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020196:Trauma, Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*