Interfascicular suture with nerve autografts for median, ulnar and radial nerve lesions

Outcome following nerve repair of high isolated clean sharp injuries of the ulnar nerve

OBJECTIVE

The detailed outcome of surgical repair of high isolated clean sharp (HICS) ulnar nerve lesions has become relevant in view of the recent development of distal nerve transfer. Our goal was to determine the outcome of HICS ulnar nerve repair in order to create a basis for the optimal management of these lesions.

METHODS

High ulnar nerve lesions are defined as localized in the area ranging from the proximal forearm to the axilla just distal to the branching of the medial cord of the brachial plexus. A meta-analysis of the literature concerning high ulnar nerve injuries was performed. Additionally, a retrospective study of the outcome of nerve repair of HICS ulnar nerve injuries at our institution was performed. The Rotterdam Intrinsic Hand Myometer and the Rosén-Lundborg protocol were used.

RESULTS

The literature review identified 46 papers. Many articles presented outcomes of mixed lesion groups consisting of combined ulnar and median nerves, or the outcome of high and low level injuries was pooled. In addition, outcome was expressed using different scoring systems. 40 patients with HICS ulnar nerve lesions were found with sufficient data for further analysis. In our institution, 15 patients had nerve repair with a median interval between trauma and reconstruction of 17 days (range 0-516). The mean score of the motor and sensory domain of the Rosen's Scale instrument was 58% and 38% of the unaffected arm, respectively. Two-point discrimination never reached less then 12 mm.

CONCLUSION

From the literature, it was not possible to draw a definitive conclusion on outcome of surgical repair of HICS ulnar nerve lesions. Detailed neurological function assessment of our own patients showed that some ulnar nerve function returned. Intrinsic muscle strength recovery was generally poor. Based on this study, one might cautiously argue that repair strategies of HICS ulnar nerve lesions need to be improved.

Sural nerve autografts for high radial nerve injury with nine centimeter or greater defects

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to present the outcome of sural nerve grafting that focuses on motor fascicles in 6 patients with high radial nerve injuries with defects of more than 9 cm.

METHODS

Six patients with a high radial nerve complete injury were treated with a sural nerve autograft during a 6-year interval from June 1994 to June 2000. The gap of the radial nerve, which was measured in the surgical field, was 9 cm in 1 patient, 10 cm in 4 patients, and 11 cm in 1 patient. There were 4 men and 2 women with an average age of 32 years (range, 14-49 years). The causes of the injuries were a fracture of the humerus in 4 patients and surgery-related complications in 2 patients. Two or 3 multiple interfascicular nerve autografts of the sural nerve were sutured to the areas that have motor fascicles dominantly. The average delay from the injury to surgery was 6 months (range, 0.5-12 months), and the average duration of the follow-up after surgery was 48 months.

RESULTS

The overall motor recovery was M5 in 2 patients, M4 in 3 patients, and M2 in 1 patient. The overall sensory recovery was S3+ in 2 patients, S3 in 3 patients, and S1 in 1 patient.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, good to excellent motor recovery can be expected in 83% of patients who have a large gap of the radial nerve when sural nerve autografts are sutured to the areas that have motor fascicles dominantly. Even for large gaps, within 8 months, an attempt at nerve reconstruction before proceeding to tendon transfers appears to be indicated.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic IV.

Median and ulnar nerve injuries: a meta-analysis of predictors of motor and sensory recovery after modern microsurgical nerve repair

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to quantify variables that influence outcome after median and ulnar nerve transection injuries. The authors present a meta-analysis based on individual patient data on motor and sensory recovery after microsurgical nerve repair.

METHODS

From 130 studies found after literature review, 23 articles were ultimately included, giving individual data for 623 median or ulnar nerve injuries. The variables age, sex, nerve, site of injury, type of repair, use of grafts, delay between injury and repair, follow-up period, and outcome were extracted. Satisfactory motor recovery was defined as British Medical Research Council motor scale grade 4 and 5, and satisfactory sensory recovery was defined as British Medical Research Council grade 3+ and 4. For motor and sensory recovery, complete data were available for 281 and 380 nerve injuries, respectively.

RESULTS

Motor and sensory recovery were significantly associated (Spearman r = 0.62, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (< 16 years versus > 40 years: odds ratio, 4.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.6 to 11.2), site (proximal versus distal: odds ratio, 0.46; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.20 to 1.10), and delay (per month: odds ratio, 0.94; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.90 to 0.98) were significant predictors of successful motor recovery. In ulnar nerve injuries, the chance of motor recovery was 71 percent lower than in median nerve injuries (odds ratio, 0.29; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.15 to 0.55). For sensory recovery, age (odds ratio, 27.0; 95 percent confidence interval, 9.4 to 77.6) and delay (per month: odds ratio, 0.92; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.87 to 0.98) were found to be significant predictors.

CONCLUSIONS

In this individual patient data meta-analysis, age, site, injured nerve, and delay significantly influenced prognosis after microsurgical repair of median and ulnar nerve injuries.

Results of interfascicular nerve grafting for radial nerve lesions

During the 10 year interval 1979-1989, 20 patients underwent nerve grafting of a radial nerve lesion, 13 high radial and 7 posterior interosseous. Average follow-up was 38 months (range 12 months-10 years). Overall 72% of patients achieved a Highet Scale rating of M3 or better function and 44% M4 or better recovery. Age of the patient and length of the nerve graft did not seem to influence outcome. Time from initial injury to nerve grafting did affect outcome, with 85% of patients grafted within 6 months obtaining M3 or better recovery. No patient grafted 12 months after injury recovered any useful function. Lesions of the posterior interosseous nerve had a consistently superior recovery. Power grip strength in the affected hand of patients averaged 60% of the unaffected hand while key pinch averaged 74%. There was good correlation between the Highet Scale rating of recovery and the ultimate power grip or key pinch strength obtained. Hand dexterity, as assessed by the turning and displacing tests of the Minnesota Rate of Manipulation Test, displayed a wide range of scores in both affected and unaffected hands. Nevertheless, a relative score derived from the results obtained in the displacing test did show correlation with the Highet Scale rating. All patients with M4 or better recovery obtained relative scores for the affected hand that were in the middle of the range of scores considered an average performance for a normal population. Patients who achieved M4 or better nerve recovery following radial nerve grafting also obtained a functional hand as evidenced by the results of grip, key pinch strength, and hand dexterity testing. Lesser degrees of recovery were accompanied by poorer strength and dexterity ratings reflecting inferior function.

Long-term results of transplantations to repair median, ulnar, and radial nerve lesions by a microsurgical interfascicular autogenous cable graft technique

A comprehensive analysis of 187 patients (78 median, 86 ulnar, and 23 radial nerve lesions) treated by an interfascicular autogenous nerve grafting technique is presented. After a follow-up of at least 18 months good motor recovery was achieved in 72% of median nerve lesions, 77% of ulnar nerve lesions, and 57% of radial nerve lesions. Good functional sensory recovery was found in 36% of median, 45% of ulnar, and 48% of radial nerve lesions. It appears by multivariate analysis that the results obtained generally were better in younger patients, in patients with a shorter preoperative delay, and in cases with a shorter transplant.