title: Sural nerve donor-site morbidity: thirty-four years of follow-up.
abstract: This study presents a long-term evaluation of sural nerve donor-site morbidity in patients with at least 15 years' follow-up (mean 26 years) after sural nerve harvesting for peripheral nerve repair. Twenty-nine patients (mean age 30 years at time of surgery) participated in a retrospective analysis using a questionnaire. The subjective patient evaluations indicated a significant recovery of the sural nerve donor site with regard to sensory loss, pain, and cold sensitivity over time. Beyond 5 years, no further improvement is to be expected. Our findings provide a guideline for general patient information regarding sural nerve donor-site morbidity. An area of sensory loss of approximately the size of 5 x 6 cm is to be expected, and 20%-30% of the patients experienced minimal levels of pain, cold sensitivity, functional impairment, and scar discomfort. The latter 2 were confined to inconvenience with bumping of the donor site and putting on shoes.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, the Department of Plastic Surgery, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank F A
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: IJpma
authors.forename: Jean-Phillipe A
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Nicolai
authors.forename: Marcel F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Meek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000637:transplantation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires