Lesión del nervio mediano por cuerpo extraño metálico en un adulto joven / Lesion of the median nerve due to metallic strange body in a young adult

Se describe el caso clínico de un paciente de 36 años de edad, quien acudió a la consulta de Ortopedia y Traumatología del Hospital General Docente Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso de Santiago de Cuba, con un alambrón oxidado, encarnado en la cara palmar de la muñeca derecha, con parestesias en la zona de inervación del nervio mediano. La radiografía reveló que dentro de las estructuras de la muñeca había 10 cm del alambrón, con la porción distal doblada en forma de gancho, por lo cual se le realizó intervención quirúrgica de urgencia. Se utilizó anestesia regional, sedación e isquemia y se extrajo el cuerpo extraño en sentido contrario a la curvatura que presentaba. Luego de pasar el efecto anestésico persistían las parestesias en el pulpejo del índice, que desaparecieron completamente a los 4 meses del accidente. Se incorporó a sus labores habituales a los 2 meses de operado.

The case report of a 36 years patient is described. He went to the Orthopedics and Traumatology Service of Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso Teaching General Hospital in Santiago de Cuba, with a rusty big wire, ingrowing in the right wrist palmar face, with paresthesias in the innervation area of the median nerve. The x-ray revealed that inside the wrist structures there was 10 cm of the big wire, with the distal portion bent in hook form, reason why an emergency surgical intervention was carried out. Regional anesthesia, sedation and ischemia were used and the strange body was removed in sense contrary to the bend that presented. After the anesthetic effect eased the paresthesias of the index finger tip persisted that disappeared completely 4 months after the accident. He went back to his usual works 2 months after the operation.

Delayed Transfer of the Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis Branch of the Radial Nerve to the Anterior Interosseous Nerve for Restoration of Thumb and Index Finger Flexion: Case Report.

High median nerve injuries (HMNIs) are rare lesions involving the upper extremities and affect the median nerve from its origin to the emergence of the anterior interosseous nerve (AIN). Proximal reconstruction has long been considered the gold standard in treating HMNI, but thumb and index flexion and pinch and grip weakness are consistently not recovered. We report the surgical results of a patient affected by an HMNI with partial spontaneous recovery after a gunshot wound. AIN function was successfully restored in a delayed fashion by transferring the radial nerve branch to the extensor carpi radialis brevis to the AIN.

Functional Recovery Occurs Even After Partial Remyelination of Axon-Meshed Median and Ulnar Nerves in Mice.

Upper limb nerve injuries are common, and their treatment poses a challenge for physicians and surgeons. Experimental models help in minimum exploration of the functional characteristics of peripheral nerve injuries of forelimbs. This study was conducted to characterize the functional recovery (1, 3, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days) after median and ulnar nerve crush in mice and analyze the histological and biochemical markers of nerve regeneration (after 21 days). Sensory-functional impairments appeared after 1 day. The peripheral nerve morphology, the nerve structure, and the density of myelin proteins [myelin protein zero (P0) and peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22)] were analyzed after 21 days. Cold allodynia and fine motor coordination recovery occurred on the 10th day, and grip strength recovery was observed on the 14th day after injury. After 21 days, there was partial myelin sheath recovery. PMP22 recovery was complete, whereas P0 recovery was not. Results suggest that there is complete functional recovery even with partial remyelination of median and ulnar nerves in mice.

The Effect of the Pucker Sign on Outcomes of Type III Extension Supracondylar Fractures in Children.

BACKGROUND: The pucker sign, also called skin tenting, indicates significant displacement of the supracondylar fracture and can be a cause for alarm. The purpose of this study is to compare a cohort of patients with type III supracondylar fractures presenting with a pucker sign to a group without a pucker sign by evaluating neurovascular injury at presentation, need for open reduction, persistent neurovascular injury, range of motion, and carrying angle at final follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed for Gartland type III extension type supracondylar fractures. Those with a pucker sign were identified and evaluated. Type III supracondylar fractures with a pucker sign were compared with a similar cohort without a pucker sign. RESULTS: In total, 12 patients with a pucker sign at an average age of 5.2 years were evaluated. A total of 11 patients (92%) had diminished or absent pulses, and 2 (17%) had weakness in the median nerve distribution. Nine (75%) patients in this group were transferred to the university hospital. Average time to surgery was 8.9 hours with an average operating time of 25.1 minutes. Open reduction was not needed in any case. At an average follow-up of 4.7 months no patients had persistent neurovascular compromise. Two patients lacked <5 degrees of extension and 1 lacked 10 degrees of extension. One patient lacked 10 degrees of flexion. No patients had a change in carrying angle difference compared with the contralateral side. No statistical differences were observed between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pucker sign, in the context of a supracondylar fracture of the humerus, is a soft tissue defect with potential entrapment of median nerve and brachial artery. At a maximum time of 16 hours from injury to surgery we report excellent outcomes and no long-term complications. Using the techniques of gradual traction, and milking the soft tissue, the pucker sign can be eliminated. Closed reduction and percutaneous pinning were performed in all the cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective comparative study.

Desempenho funcional de pacientes com deformidades visíveis na hanseníase / Functional performance of patients with visible deformities in leprosy

Esse estudo tem por objetivo avaliar a capacidade funcional da mão das pessoas atingidas pela hanseníase na realização das atividades básicas e instrumentais da vida diária. A amostra foi constituída por 50 pacientes, maiores de 18 anos, que estavam sendo acompanhados no ambulatório do Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima. Para avaliação das características sociodemográficas e clínicas foi elaborado um questionário próprio. As dificuldades manuais para realizar atividades nas áreas de vestuário, alimentação, higiene pessoal, cuidados com a casa, escrita e outros foram avaliados por meio da Avaliação Funcional das Mãos em Hanseníase. Os resultados demonstram que em todas as atividades houve algum grau de dificuldade, porém, a maioria dos pacientes as realiza com independência. As atividades consideradas mais difíceis de serem executadas pelos pacientes com garra ulnar foram: pegar objetos pequenos em superfície plana, abrir/fechar fecho de corrente e cortar unhas. Na população de pacientes com garra ulnar/mediano foram: pegar objetos pequenos em superfície plana, abotoar/desabotoar, dar laço/ amarrar cadarço e abrir/fechar fecho de corrente. As atividades são realizadas com algum grau de dificuldade, porém, com independência pela maioria dos indivíduos que tem ou tiveram hanseníase e apresentam deformidades visíveis. Muitas dessas dificuldades podem ser minimizadas por meio de transferências tendinosas ou pela indicação, confecção e uso de tecnologia assistiva(AU).

This study aims to assess the functional capacity of the hand of people affected by leprosy in carrying out basic and instrumental activities of daily living. The sample consisted of 50 patients, aged over 18, who were being followed up at the outpatient clinic of the Instituto Lauro de Souza Lima. A questionnaire was developed to assess sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Manual difficulties in carrying out activities in the areas of clothing, food, personal hygiene, home care, writing and others were assessed through the Functional Hand Assessment in Leprosy. The results show that in all activities there was some degree of difficulty, however, most patients perform them independently. The activities considered most difficult to be performed by patients with an ulnar claw were: picking up small objects on a flat surface, opening / closing the chain clasp and cutting nails. In the population of patients with an ulnar / median claw were: picking up small objects on a flat surface, buttoning / unbuttoning, looping / tying shoelaces and opening / closing chain fastening. The activities are performed with some degree of difficulty, however, independently by the majority of individuals who have or have had leprosy and have visible deformities. Many of these difficulties can be minimized by means of tendon transfers or by the indication, preparation and use of assistive technology(AU).

The IBB forelimb scale as a tool to assess functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury in mice.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to test whether the IBB Forelimb Scale (Irvine et al., 2010) which was originally developed for rats with spinal cord injury, is also capable of measuring the functional performance of Swiss mice with lesions of the median and ulnar nerves inflicted via crushing with standardized strength. NEW METHOD: This test was performed at days 1, 3, 7, 10, 14 and 21 after surgery and each animal gives a score of 9, where 0 represented the worst functionality and 9 represented the habitual behavior. RESULTS: The control animals usually exhibited movements in the task that were scored as 9 during the experimental period. The lesion group began with a score of 2 on the 1st and 3rd post-operative days. On the 7th and 10th postoperative days, respectively, they scored 7, and on the 14th post-operative day, they achieved a score of 8. Only on the 21st post-operative day, did they exhibit habitual skillful behaviors. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): IBB Forelimb Scale is effective for determining how the animals perform the movements in detail, which is not readily revealed by other methods. Furthermore, this test show similar recovery periods with grasping test, staircase test and seems to be more sensitive than paw print analysis for this type of lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that IBB scale was capable of measuring gradual improvements in motor forelimb functions in this model and may be a new and effective assessment tool for peripheral nerve injury.

Nociceptive and histomorphometric evaluation of neural mobilization in experimental injury of the median nerve.

The carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common peripheral neuropathy in the upper limb, but its treatment with conservative therapies such as neural mobilization (NM) is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the NM as treatment in a model of median nerve compression. 18 Wistar rats were subjected to compression of the median nerve in the right elbow proximal region. Were randomly divided into G1 (untreated), G2 (NM for 1 minute), and G3 (NM for 3 minutes). For treatment, the animals were anesthetized and the right forelimb received mobilization adapted to humans, on alternated days, from the 3rd to the 13th day postoperatively (PO), totaling six days of therapy. Nociception was assessed by withdrawal threshold, and after euthanasia histomorphometric analysis of the median nerve was performed. The nociceptive evaluation showed in G2 and G3 delay in return to baseline. Histomorphometric analysis showed no significant differences in the variables analyzed. It is concluded that the NM was not effective in reducing nociceptive sensation and did not alter the course of nerve regeneration.

The anabolic steroid nandrolone enhances motor and sensory functional recovery in rat median nerve repair with long interpositional nerve grafts.

BACKGROUND: Recovery from peripheral nerve repair is frequently incomplete. Hence drugs that enhance nerve regeneration are needed clinically. OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of nandrolone decanoate in a model of deficient reinnervation in the rat. METHODS: In 40 rats, a 40-mm segment of the left median nerve was removed and interposed between the stumps of a sectioned right median nerve. Starting 7 days after nerve grafting and continuing over a 6-month period, we administered nandrolone at a dose of 5 mg/kg/wk to half the rats (n = 20). All rats were assessed behaviorally for grasp function and nociceptive recovery for up to 6 months. At final assessment, reinnervated muscles were tested electrophysiologically and weighed. Results were compared between rats that had received versus not received nandrolone and versus 20 nongrafted controls. RESULTS: Rats in the nandrolone group recovered finger flexion faster. At 90 days postsurgery, they had recovered 42% of normal grasp strength versus just 11% in rats grafted but not treated with nandrolone. At 180 days, the average values for grasp strength recovery in the nandrolone and no-nandrolone groups were 40% and 33% of normal values for controls, respectively. At 180 days, finger flexor muscle twitch strength was 16% higher in treated versus nontreated rats. Thresholds for nociception were not detected in either group 90 days after nerve grafting. At 180 days, nociceptive thresholds were significantly lower in the nandrolone group. CONCLUSIONS: Nandrolone decanoate improved functional recovery in a model of deficient reinnervation.

Correlação entre os testes Pick-Up de Moberg e a estesiometria após reconstrução do nervo mediano / Correlation between Moberg Pick-Up test and sensation threshold test after median nerve reconstruction

A avaliação funcional da sensibilidade é essencial para analisar o estado, recuperação, e efetividade do programa de tratamento em pacientes que sofreram perdas decorrentes de deficiência motora e/ou sensitiva, após lesões nervosas periféricas. Estas lesões geram a interrupção das sensações ocasionando a perda da sensibilidade e uma significante perda funcional da mão. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi correlacionar o teste funcional Pick-Up de Moberg com o teste de limiar sensitivo Estesiômetro SORRI® na reconstrução do nervo mediano. Métodos: Foram analisados 14 homens com idade entre 18 e 40 anos que sofreram ferimento corto-contuso na região volar do punho e tratamento cirúrgico há pelo menos um ano de pós-operatório. Foram utilizados para a avaliação da sensibilidade cutânea o Estesiômetro SORRI® e o teste Pick-Up de Moberg modificado, no qual a avaliação foi dividida em duas fases, olhos abertos e fechados, ambas realizadas com a mão dominante e não dominante, e em duas etapas com diferentes avaliadores, sendo repetidas três vezes em cada mão. A sequência dos avaliadores foi sorteada e mantida durante toda a avaliação. Na análise dos dados foi utilizado o coeficiente de Pearson e aplicado o teste não-paramétrico de Mann-Whitney com o nível de significância ? = 0,05. Resultados: A média da idade foi de 27,14 anos (±6,43), com maior frequência entre 21 a 30 anos sendo que 64% apresentaram lesão na mão dominante. O coeficiente de Pearson (r) entre o Estesiômetro e o Pick-Up foi entre 0,5 e 0,7, com p-valor <0,05. Os intervalos de confiança e p-valores dos testes de Mann-Whitney não indicaram diferenças estatisticamente significantes. Conclusão: Apesar do teste Pick-Up de Moberg não possuir medidas padronizadas, na amostra estudada pode-se concluir que existe correlação entre o teste funcional e o teste de limiar sensitivo. Novos estudos são necessários para a validação e confiabilidade de ambos os métodos.

Functional assessment of sensitivity is essential to analyzing the status, recovery, and effectiveness of the treatment program for patients who have suffered losses due to physical and / or sensory disability after peripheral nerve injuries. Such losses of sensation lead to a significant loss of hand function. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to establish a correlation between functional and sensory threshold tests after a peripheral nerve lesion in the hand. Methods: Fourteen men aged 18 to 40 years, who had bruises and cut injuries at the volar region of the wrist resulting in median nerve lesion, were selected for study. All the subjects were at least 1-year post-surgery. An esthesiometer SORRI® and a modified Moberg pick-up test were used. The test was divided into two phases, one with eyes open and the other with eyes closed. Also, the same test was performed by two different examiners. It was a "blinded" test that was performed three times, being repeated by the examiners according to a random sequence kept during the entire evaluation. Mean age and standard deviation were obtained during analysis in which Pearson's coefficient was calculated and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was applied at 5% significance. Results: The mean age was 27.14 years with a standard deviation of 6.43 years, with the lesions being more frequently seen in men aged 21 to 30 years. Also, 64% of the cases involved lesion of the dominant hand. Pearson's coefficient (r) regarding the correlation between sensory threshold test and Moberg pick-up test ranged from 0.5 to 0.7, which was statistically significant. Confidence intervals and p-values obtained from the Mann-Whitney test showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: One can conclude, therefore, that despite lacking standardized measures, the Moberg pick-up test correlated with the functional test. However, further studies are needed to support validation and reliability of the two methods.

Functional and morphometric differences between the early and delayed use of phototherapy in crushed median nerves of rats.

This study evaluated the functional and quantitative differences between the early and delayed use of phototherapy in crushed median nerves. After a crush injury, low-level laser therapy (GaAs) was applied transcutaneously at the injury site, 3 min daily, with a frequency of five treatments per week for 2 weeks. In the early group, the first laser treatment started immediately after surgery, and in the delayed group, after 7 days. The grasping test was used for functional evaluation of the median nerve, before, 10, and 21 days after surgery, when the rats were killed. Three segments of the median nerve were analyzed histomorphometrically by light microscopy and computer analysis. The following features were observed: myelinated fiber and axon diameters, myelin sheath area, g-ratio, density and number of myelinated fibers, and area and number of capillaries. In the proximal segment (site of crush), the nerves of animals submitted to early and delayed treatment showed myelinated fiber diameter and myelin sheath area significantly larger compared to the untreated group. In the distal segment, the myelin sheath area was significantly smaller in the untreated animals compared to the delayed group. The untreated, early, and delayed groups presented a 50, 57, and 81% degree of functional recovery, respectively, at 21 days after injury, with a significant difference between the untreated and delayed groups. The results suggest that the nerves irradiated with low-power laser exhibit myelinated fibers of greater diameter and a better recovery of function.

Reabilitação virtual através do videogame: relato de caso no tratamento de um paciente com lesão alta dos nervos mediano e ulnar / Virtual rehabilitation using video games: a case report of the treatment of a patient with high median and high ulnar nerve lesions

O uso da reabilitação virtual através do video game visa simulação de situações reais; percebe-se que o uso desta, afasta o paciente do foco da dor ou do incomodo; melhora na funcionalidade dos membros acometidos e o leva a retomar as atividades nas áreas de desempenho ocupacional. Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar o uso da reabilitação virtual, como recurso terapêutico ocupacional, em um paciente com lesão alta dos nervos mediano e ulnar, bem como descrever e comparar os graus da amplitude de movimento das articulações do membro lesado. Trata- se de uma pesquisa do tipo longitudinal com um paciente de 09 anos de idade, sexo masculino, diagnosticado com lesão nervosa, na Clínica Escola de Terapia Ocupacional da Universidade Potiguar, no período de maio a setembro de 2010. Nos 13 encontros, foram utilizados televisão, o videogame Nintendo® Wii e quatro jogos e um goniômetro como instrumentos de intervenção e coleta de dados. Na reavaliação, observou-se a movimentação ativa e o aumento da amplitude de movimento em todas as articulações medidas: cotovelo em flexão e extensão; antebraço em pronação e supinação; punho em flexão, extensão, desvio ulnar e desvio radial; polegar em flexão de metacarpofalangiana, flexão interfalangiana, abdução e estágio III de oponência (Kapangji); II, III, IV e V quirodátilos. Os metacarpos apresentaram ganhos em flexão e extensão. Os resultados desse estudo evidenciaram a eficácia do videogame, comprovado através da avaliação goniométrica. O indivíduo estudado voltou a realizar as atividades de vida diária de forma independente e retornou as suas atividades esportivas de forma competitiva.

The use of virtual rehabilitation with video games aims to simulate real situations. It has been observed that the use of video games as a rehabilitation tool allows the patient to focus on something other than the pain or discomfort. It improves functionality of affected limbs, and helps the patient to resume activities involving occupational performance. The intent of this study was to verify the application of virtual rehabilitation as a resource for occupational therapy for a patient with high median and high ulnar nerve injuries, and to describe and compare the levels of range of motion of the injured limb joints. This was a longitudinal survey with a 9 years old patient, male, diagnosed with nerve damage at the Potiguar University School of Occupational Therapy Clinic. The survey was carried out from May to September of 2010. Throughout the 13 sessions, a television and a Nintendo ® Wii video game (with four games) were used as intervention tools, and a goniometer was used for collecting data. During reassessment, active movement and increased range of motion in all joints assessed were observed: elbow flexion and extension; forearm pronation and supination; wrist flexion, extension, radio and ulnar deviation; thumb metacarpophalangeal flexion, interphalangeal flexion, abduction and opponency at stage III (Kapandji); II, III, IV and V fingers. The metacarpals presented improvements in flexion and extension. The results showed the effectiveness of video games as evidenced by goniometric evaluation. The patient studied regained the ability to perform activities of daily living independently and to play sports competitively.

Mesh epineurial splinting for late median nerve repair in older patients: a preliminary report.

Eleven patients over 40 years old, with median nerve lesions at the wrist, were operated on an average of 5 months after their injury. In six patients, the median nerve was repaired using a polypropylene mesh applied to secure the nerve stumps in contact, thereby allowing for direct repair with microsutures. Six patients had their median nerve repaired with sural grafts. The average gap length was 2.8 cm for the mesh repair, whereas it was 3.7 cm for the graft repair group. Eighteen months after surgery, pressure thresholds were perceived in the index and thumb pulp by all six patients with a mesh repair but in only two of five patients with a graft repair. Five in the mesh repair group recovered function in the abductor pollicis brevis muscle, versus none in the graft group. These preliminary results suggest that, in older patients, the use of a mesh to splint the coaptation site followed by direct nerve repair yields better recovery than conventional sural grafts.

The mesh repair: tension free alternative on dealing with nerve gaps-experimental results.

We evaluated the feasibility of external epineurial splinting as a way of alleviating tension caused by sutures in the reconstruction of peripheral nerve injuries, utilizing Wistar rat median nerve injury on 40 animals, in four experimental groups with 10 animals on each surgical setting. The nerve regeneration outcomes of four surgical procedures were compared: 1) primary end-to-end sutures (EES); 2) alleviated tension sutures (ATS) with a removal of 7 mm nerve segment, namely external epineurial splinting, utilizing a polypropylene mesh as a protective scaffold; 3) sutures under tension with a 7 mm gap between nerve stumps; and 4) sham (C) (n = 10 animals). Regeneration of the median nerve postneurorrhaphy was followed by means of functional evaluations, including time to first day of finger flexion recovery, and grasp strength; quantification of atrophy of the flexor pronator muscle group; and mRNA expression of nerve growth factor and neurotrophin-3 by polymerase chain reaction-reverse transcriptase. Similar, significant median nerve regeneration was observed in the EES-treated and ATS-treated groups, relative to controls. The EES and ATS surgical procedures methods demonstrated important similar results considering functional and molecular biology analysis of the median nerve injury.

Mesenchymal stem cells in a polycaprolactone conduit enhance median-nerve regeneration, prevent decrease of creatine phosphokinase levels in muscle, and improve functional recovery in mice.

Although the majority of peripheral-nerve regeneration studies are carried out on the sciatic nerve, lesions of the upper extremities are more common in humans and usually lead to significant physical disabilities. The present study was driven by the hypothesis that a combination of strategies, namely grafts of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and resorbable polycaprolactone (PCL) conduits would improve median-nerve regeneration after transection. Mouse median nerves were transected and sutured to PCL tubes that were filled with either green fluorescent protein (GFP(+)) MSC in DMEM or with DMEM alone. During the post-operative period, animals were tested weekly for flexor digitorum muscle function by means of the grasping test. After 8 weeks, the proximal and middle portions of the PCL tube and the regenerating nerves were harvested and processed for light and electron microscopy. The flexor digitorum muscle was weighed and subjected to biochemical analysis for creatine phosphokinase (CK) levels. Scanning electron microscopy of the PCL tube 8 weeks after implantation showed clear signs of wall disintegration. MSC-treated animals showed significantly larger numbers of myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers and blood vessels compared with DMEM-treated animals. The flexor digitorum muscle CK levels were significantly higher in the MSC-treated animals, but muscle weight values did not differ between the groups. Compared with the DMEM-treated group, MSC-treated animals showed, by the grasping test, improved functional performance throughout the period analyzed. Immunofluorescence for S-100 and GFP showed, in a few cases, double-labeled cells, suggesting that transplanted cells may occasionally transdifferentiate into Schwann cells. Our data demonstrate that the polycaprolactone conduit filled with MSC is capable of significantly improving the median-nerve regeneration after a traumatic lesion.

[Functional results of nerve reconstruction in a thoracic limb. A multicenter study]. / Resultados funcionales de reconstrucción nerviosa en miembro torácico. Estudio multicéntrico.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the functional results of nerve reconstruction with autologous interfascicular nerve grafts in a thoracic limb. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From January 1999 to December 2006. Complete nerve injuries of the radial, median and ulnar nerves. Follow-up was at least 12 months. VARIABLES: age, nerve defect length, location, interval between the injury and the treatment, mechanism, injuries, and adjunctive treatments. The procedures were performed by the authors. Nine and 10-0 sutures were used. The Medical Research Council System (MRCS) scale was used for the functional measurement. The chi2 test was applied to variables and functional results. RESULTS: 43 patients, 48 nerves, mean age 26.7 years; 29 males and 14 females. Nineteen injuries occurred in the ulnar nerve (39.5%), 18 in the median nerve (37.5%) and 11 in the radial nerve (23%). Five patients had injury of the median and ulnar nerves. Twenty three injuries involved the wrist (53.4%), 7 the forearm (16.2%) and 12 the arm (27.9%). The mean time elapsed between the injury and the treatment was 42.09 days. The mean size of the nerve defect was 4.4 cm. The mean followup was 17.5 months. Forty two patients had associated injuries and 37 received adjunctive treatment. Motor function: Results were good in 15 patients (31.2%), fair in 21 (43.8%), poor in 10 (20.8%) and bad in 2 (4.2%). Sensory function: Results were good in 36 nerves (75%), fair in 4 (83%), poor in 6 (12.5%) and bad in 2 (4.2%). DISCUSSION: The results were similar to those reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: Good results were obtained in gaps < or = 5 cm, in cases without arterial injury and when the time to treatment did not exceed 40 days (p < 0.05). The age, the nerve and the site of injury were not influencing factors.

[Type V floating elbow with type III A3 exposure and nerve injury. Initial and definitive treatment with a minimally invasive technique. A case report]. / Codo flotante tipo V con exposición tipo III A3 y lesión nerviosa. Tratamiento inicial y definitivo con técnica minima invasiva. Reporte de un caso.

BACKGROUND: The increased number of high energy accidents has led to the occurrence of several injuries in a single extremity, particularly among youths. Stanitski and Micheli defined the floating elbow as a forearm fracture plus an ipsilateral supracondylar fracture. Its incidence ranges from 3% to 13%, predominant ages are 7 to 11 years, with a 2:2 male:female ratio. The mechanism of injury is as follows: fall from a height with elbow hyperextension and wrist dorsiflexion and pronation of the forearm. OBJECTIVE: To present the case of a child with a type V left open floating elbow injury, severe soft tissue injury and median and radial nerve injury. CLINICAL CASE: A 12-year-old male weighing 70 kg and a height of 170 cm fell from a height of around 50 cm while riding on a skateboard and sustained a type V floating elbow injury. He was managed with a double antibiotic regimen, decontaminating wound care and fracture stabilization with a minimally invasive approach, using crossed Kirschner nails in the elbow, and centromedullary and retrograde nails in the radius and ulna. He underwent early rehabilitation. The patient resumed his usual activities at month 3 and was assessed using the DASH scale. The nerve injury was classified as neurapraxia. RESULTS: The skin healed at ten days. Passive motion of the elbow and wrist was started at week 2. Bone healing of the radio-ulna occurred at 35 days and of the humerus at 30 days. The nerve injury evolved properly without leaving any sensory or motor sequelae. According to the DASH Scale, the functional course was appropriate; the patient resumed his usual activities at month 3. No infection or compartmental syndrome occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The early and thorough washing of these injuries is an important factor to decrease the risk of infection. The minimally invasive approach is perfect to treat these injuries in children; it is less aggressive and preserves the integrity of soft tissues. Early rehabilitation and the prompt management of the nerve injury are fundamental to the functional result. The DASH Scale identifies the functional course, is easy to use and convenient for the patient.

Questionário para avaliação funcional da mão em lesão de nervos / Questionnaire to evaluate hand function in nerve lesions

OBJETIVO: elaborar um questionário de avaliação funcional para analisar as dificuldades manuais encontradas na realização de atividades cotidianas de indivíduos ocidentais adultos com lesão dos nervos ulnar, mediano ou radial.MÉTODO: foi realizada entrevista com 50 pessoas, idade entre 21 e 65 anos, portadoras de lesão nos nervos ulnar, mediano ou radial para identificar as dificuldades manuais ao realizar as tarefas cotidianas. Em seguida, seis cirurgiões de mão e nove terapeutas de mão, analisaram as tarefas listadas pelos entrevistados e as classificaram em níveis de importância para uma avaliação funcional das mãos. Posteriormente, o questionário foi elaborado baseado nessa classificação.RESULTADOS: o "Questionário de avaliação da mão com lesão de nervo" é constituído por 30 questões objetivas divididas em domínios de tarefas (vestuário, alimentação, higiene pessoal, tarefas domésticas, escrita, uso de computador e atividades diversas). As respostas são atribuídas de acordo com o grau de dificuldade na realização das tarefas listadas no instrumento. O questionário foi respondido por 32 pessoas com idade entre 18 e 65 anos apresentando sequela de hanseníase. O cálculo do alfa de Cronbach foi utilizado para avaliar a confiabilidade do instrumento. Após a remoção de duas questões relacionadas ao uso de computador, o resultado do alfa de Cronbach aumentou para 0,90.CONCLUSÃO: o "Questionário de avaliação da mão com lesão de nervo" apresenta alta consistência interna. Além disso, é conciso, de fácil preenchimento não necessitando a presença de profissional especializado para sua aplicação e permite a verificação do nível de independência do indivíduo com lesão de nervo periférico na mão na realização de suas tarefas habituais.

OBJECTIVE: to develop a functional evaluation questionnaire to limitations in hand function by western adults individuals with lesions of the ulnar, median or radial nerves in their routine tasks.DESIGN: an interview was conducted with 50 patients of 21-65 years of age with ulnar, median and radial nerve lesions to identify any manual difficulties in their performance of routine daily tasks. Six hand surgeons and nine hand therapists then analyzed the tasks listed by the patients and graded them in levels of importance for the evaluation of hand function, after which a questionnaire based on this classification was drawn up.RESULTS: the instrument Evaluation of Hand with Nerve Damage Questionnaire, consists of 30 objective questions divided into task domains (dressing, feeding, personal hygiene, housework, writing, use of computers and "others"), answers being classified according to degree of difficulty. The questionnaire was completed by 32 patients of 18-65 years of age with sequelae of Hansen's disease. Cronbach's coefficient alpha was used to assess the reliability of the instrument. Following removal of two questions regarding computer use, Cronbach's coefficient alpha increased to 0.90.CONCLUSION: the Evaluation of Hand with Nerve Damage Questionnaire shows a high internal consistency. In addition it is concise, easy to fill instrument not requiring specialized professional to apply and allows evaluation of the degree of independence of the individual with peripheral nerve lesion in the hand in performing routine daily tasks.

Analysis of MR imaging of wrists in female patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and healthy controls / Análisis de imágenes de RM de las muñecas en pacientes mujeres con síndrome del túnel carpiano y controles sanos

The objective of this study was to evaluate morphological changes of the median nerve in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and healthy controls, to correlate the MRI findings of wrists. This study compared not only morphological changes of the median nerve and also displayed descriptively structures in carpal tunnel between patients diagnosed with idopathic CTS and healthy controls. Our study involved 60 hand, 30 of hand were evaluated diagnosed with idiopathic CTS and 30 hand as healthy controls bilaterally. Two provocative tests (Phalen's and Tinel's test) were performed on each hand for both the patient group (60 wrist) and the control group (60 wrist). With regard to Phalen and Tinel's test results, 24 and 26 wrists were excluded from patient and control groups respectively. Totally 70 wrists were evaluated, and in terms of cross-sectional area of median nerve at the level of distal radio-ulnar joint, pisiform bone and the hook of hamate bone by MRI in the patient and control groups. In addition to evaluation of cross-sectional area of median nerve, we determined signal intensity of wrists and different localization of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. Cross-sectional area of the median nerve measured by wrist magnetic resonance at the level of metacarpal bones and signal intensity of wrists may be considered as a valuable indicator to determine patients referred with idiopathic CTS.

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los cambios morfológicos del nervio mediano en pacientes con síndrome del túnel carpiano (STC) y controles sanos, para correlacionar los hallazgos de las RM de muñeca. Este estudio comparó no sólo los cambios morfológicos del nervio mediano, también se muestran en forma descriptiva estructuras del túnel carpiano entre los pacientes diagnosticados con STC idiopatico y controles sanos. Nuestro estudio incluyó 60 manos, 30 manos fueron evaluados con diagnóstico de STC idiopático y 30 manos como controles sanos, bilateralmente. Dos pruebas de provocación (prueba de Phalen y prueba de Tinel) se realizaron en cada mano para el grupo de pacientes (60 muñecas) y el grupo control (60 muñecas). En lo que respecta a los resultados de prueba de Phalen y prueba de Tinel, 24 y 26 muñecas fueron excluidas del grupo paciente y grupo control respectivamente. En total 70 muñecas fueron evaluadas, en términos de la sección transversal del área del nervio mediano a nivel de la articulación radio-ulnar distal, el hueso pisiforme y el hamulus del hueso hamate por medio de resonancia magnética en gruposs paciente y control. Además de la evaluación de la sección del área del nervio mediano, se determinó la intensidad de la señal de la muñeca y las diferentes localizaciones del nervio mediano en el túnel carpiano. La sección transversal del área del nervio mediano medida por medio de resonancia magnética de muñeca a nivel de los huesos metacarpianos y la intensidad de la señal de las muñecas pueden ser considerados como un valioso indicador al evaluar pacientes referidos con STC idiopático.

Can local supply of bone marrow mononuclear cells improve the outcome from late tubular repair of human median and ulnar nerves?

The purpose of this non-randomised retrospective study was to compare nerve regeneration after reconnection with silicone tubes with two different strategies. A total of 44 patients with injured median or ulnar nerves in the forearm were surgically treated. In one group of patients, a silicone tube alone was placed in the nerve gap. In a second group, the silicone tube was filled with autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells obtained by aspiration from the iliac crest. Motor function, sensation and the effect of pain on function were assessed 1 year after surgery. The tubes filled with bone marrow cells showed better recovery than the empty tubes. The use of bone marrow mononuclear cells in addition to tube re-connection may promote better nerve regeneration than conventional tubular repair.

Functional recovery improvement is related to aberrant reinnervation trimming. A comparative study using fresh or predegenerated nerve grafts.

Experimentally predegenerated nerve grafts have been demonstrated to improve recovery. In a 12 month-long study, we compared the degree of recovery of conventional and predegenerated grafts in rat median nerve repair. To induce predegeneration the ulnar donor nerve was crushed and grafting to the median nerve was performed 2 weeks later. The day of recovery and the improvement of finger flexion strength were studied by the grasping test. At 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery retrograde labeling studies and flexor carpi radialis muscle ATPase histochemistry were performed. In the predegenerated grafts, the recovery of finger flexion occurred 19.6+/-1.5 days after surgery and was significantly faster than that in the conventional group. Twelve months after surgery, a similar rate of 85% of grasping strength recovery in relation to the normal control rats was demonstrated for the conventional and predegenerated grafts. After grafting, a larger number of motoneurons, compared to the normal controls, were retrograde labeled in the median nerve. This surplus of retrograde labeled motoneurons in the predominantly sensory branch of the median nerve represented misdirected motor fibers. There was a time-related decrease in the number of labeled motoneurons, which correlated to functional grasping strength recovery. Muscle reinnervation induced a predominance of type I over type II muscle fibers. Forty percent of type I fibers were grouped indicating that collateral sprouting plays a prominent role during muscle reinnervation. Regeneration in predegenerated grafts was faster but the final rate of recovery was similar to conventional grafts.