title: Symptoms and disability after major peripheral nerve injury.
abstract: Laceration and irrecoverable stretch, crush, or avulsion of a major peripheral nerve in the upper extremity causes substantial impairment in an adult patient. Hand care professionals who treat these patients encounter a wide range of coping strategies leading to varied courses of recovery and strikingly different final outcomes. There is evidence that the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of recovery (not to mention the circumstantial aspects such as worker compensation and litigation) are as important as the physical aspects. Awareness of the factors that facilitate or hinder these aspects of recovery might improve the quality and effectiveness of our care.
authors.affiliation: MGH Hand Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Yawkey 2100, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. dring@partners.org
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ring
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries / Q000294:innervation*
keywords: Cognitive behavioral therapy; Coping strategy; Disability; Peripheral nerve injury; symptoms