[Results of primary median nerve repair at the wrist: report of 24 cases].
BACKGROUND
Nerve injuries of the upper limb can cause serious damage: primary repair has improved the results but the prognosis for recovery remains uncertain. We present the results of primary repair of 24 median nerve injuries at the level of the wrist.


METHODS
Between 1990-1998, we repaired 57 median nerve injuries at the wrist. Only 24 patients were included in this retrospective study. The average age of the patients was 25 years (range: 18-60 years). Seventeen patients were men and seven were women. All the patients were operated within 12 h after the accident. In all the cases, epiperineural suture was performed followed by immobilisation in a cast for 3 weeks. No specific rehabilitation programme was employed.


RESULTS
At review with a mean follow-up of 3 years, 46% of the patients obtained good or very good results according to Chanson's scoring system. The sensory recovery was between S4-S2 with the Weber test in 75% of patients. Fifty-eight percent of patients recovered a motor function between M3-M2.


CONCLUSIONS
In most papers, very good and good results averaged 60%. The results in our series did not achieve this level. We believe that this is due to two factors: firstly, the age distribution of our patients and secondly the lack of a specific program of sensory rehabilitation.
Najeb
Y
Y
Service de traumato-orthopédie (P32), CHU Ibn-Rochd, Casablanca, Maroc. youssefnajeb@hotmail.com
Zahar
A
A
Fnini
S
S
Ouarab
M
M
Largab
A
A
Garch
A
A
Trafeh
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014953:Wrist