Sensory outcomes after repair of median and ulnar nerve with nerve graft

Abstract

Peripheral nerve injuries in upper extremity have a tremendous impact on patient’s social and professional life. Failure to intervene in these nerve injuries causes worsening of hand functions which can lead to permanent upper limb dysfunction. Median and ulnar nerve are the nerve of special clinical significance in forearm. These nerve nearly dominant all the functions of hand. Injuries of these nerves lead to disability and incapability to work, emotional burden to patients. There are various techniques to repair the damaged nerve. The options of management are primary repair, auto graft, allograft, and various transfers (tendon/nerve/free functional muscle). End to end epineural suture is done when both ends (proximal and distal) of injured nerve does not generate excessive tension. Autologous nerve graft is used when there is large gap between ends of nerve. Nerve graft performed in tensionless manner has shown better results than end to end approximation performed under tension. Regeneration after nerve reconstruction takes place approximately 1 mm per day. ABSTRACT