The sensory function of the uninjured nerve in patients after median and ulnar nerve injury.
METHODS
A retrospective cohort study.


BACKGROUND
Some patients after median or ulnar nerve injury report a diminished sensibility in the fingers that are supplied by the uninjured nerve.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the function of the uninjured nerve in patients after peripheral nerve injury to assess the presence and degree of its functional impairment.


METHODS
There were 28 patients with median and 29 patients with ulnar nerve injury examined for sensory disturbances in the injured and uninjured nerves, using several tests assessing touch, temperature, and vibration sensibility.


RESULTS
In 16 patients after ulnar and 13 patients after median nerve injury, some disturbances in the uninjured nerve were found, mostly in individual tests. Only 8 patients had 3 or more different tests abnormal.


CONCLUSIONS
The injured nerve function in patients with functional disturbances in the uninjured nerve was worse than in patients with normal test results.


CONCLUSIONS
Posttraumatic changes in central nervous system are the possible reasons.


METHODS
Level III study.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland. Electronic address: mceynowa@gumed.edu.pl.
Marcin
M
Ceynowa
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
Rafał
R
Pankowski
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
Marek
M
Rocławski
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
Tomasz
T
Mazurek
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000293:injuries*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult
Median nerve injury; Nerve repair; Sensory nerve function; Ulnar nerve injury