[Neuropathy in the upper extremity after anesthesia].
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the frequency of neuropathy in the upper extremity after anesthesia.


METHODS
We reviewed the postoperative courses of 5454 patients who had received surgical procedures at the Jichi Medical School Hospital from 2004 January to 2004 December.


RESULTS
Neuropathy developed in 33 patients (0.7%). In 28 of 33 patients (0.6%), symptoms were minor and resolved within a few days. The remaining 5 patients (0.1%) who had complained the symptoms immediately after emergence from anesthesia had residual symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
In our hospital, the frequency of neuropathy in the upper extremities was 0.7%. The majority of the neuropathies, however, were minor. Neuropathies persisting for a long time were infrequent complications (0.1%).
Hirabayashi
Yoshihiro
Y
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi.
Igarashi
Takashi
T
Seo
Norimasa
N
D000328:Adult; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001132:Arm / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology*