title: Rehabilitation of digital nerve repair: is splinting necessary?
abstract: Forty isolated, sharp digital nerve divisions, which had been repaired by microsurgical techniques, were reviewed between 12 and 36 months postoperatively (mean, 20 months). Half of the repairs had been splinted beyond the immediate postoperative period and half had not. Non-splinted patients returned to work significantly quicker than those who were splinted. Splinted patients reported more stiffness and cold intolerance but splinting made no difference to either the measured sensibility or movement of the digit. We would conclude that, after repair of sharp, uncomplicated digital nerve divisions, splinting beyond the immediate postoperative period is at least unnecessary and may be deleterious.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, The Queen Victoria Hospital, Holtye Road East, East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK. tomsc42@aol.com
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Clare
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Haviland Mee
authors.forename: H J C R
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Belcher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000601:surgery*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D013165:Splints; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires