title: Vein conduit associated with microsurgical suture for complete collateral digital nerve severance.
abstract: The aim of this study is to present the long term results of a series of 53 vein conduit grafts as first line therapy to repair complete severance of one or more collateral digital nerves. The surgical technique included an epi-perineural suture of the nerve under minimal tension, associated with a vein graft harvested from the back of the hand to cover the nerve. None of the patients presented with a neuroma, spontaneous pain or had stopped using the injured finger. Sensibility results were good or very good in 67% of cases. The scar at the donor site was very light or invisible. A total of 96% of patients were satisfied or very satisfied. This simple technique, by protecting the injured nerve, results in a rate of sensory nerve recovery that is comparable or better than that of other series in the literature, without neuroma and with minimal scarring at the donor site.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Orthopédique, CHU, 4 rue Larrey, 49000 Angers, France. palligand@hotmail.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alligand-Perrin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rabarin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeudy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Césari
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saint-Cast
authors.forename: P-A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fouque
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raimbeau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012677:Sensation; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation*; D055815:Young Adult