Peripheral nerve palsies associated with closed fractures and dislocations

Clinical Practice Guideline: The Treatment of Peripheral Nerve Injuries

BACKGROUND

Nerve lesions often heal incompletely, leading to lifelong functional impairment and high costs for the health care system. The updated German clinical practice guideline is intended to promote the early recognition of nerve lesions and the timely initiation of proper treatment for optimal restoration of function.

METHODS

The recommendations are based on an assessment of all the evidence revealed by a systematic search of the literature, as well as on the expertise of the multiprofessional guideline group.

RESULTS

Only a few publications contain high-quality evidence. This version of the guideline contains a more detailed discussion of war injuries, iatrogenic injuries, MR neurography, and specific treatments than the previous version. As for the different methods of nerve replacement, a comparison of autologous transplantation versus the use of conduits and tubes revealed no significant difference between these two methods on the mBMRC scale, and minimal superiority of autologous transplantation with respect to two-point discrimination. As for the use of nerve transfers when nerve reconstruction is not feasible or unlikely to succeed, nerve transfer yielded slightly better results than proximal reconstruction for elbow flexion, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (mBMRC ≥ 3: RR 1.16, 95% confidence interval [1.02; 1.32]). The treatment of neuromas with targeted muscle reinnervation was superior to the classic approach in decreasing both stump pain (MD 2.0 +/- 2.8) and phantom limb pain (MD 3.4 +/- 4.03).

CONCLUSION

The delayed or improper treatment of peripheral nerve lesions can lead to severe impairment. Timely diagnosis, the use of appropriate treatments in conformity with the guidelines, and interdisciplinary collaboration among specialists are all essential for optimizing the outcome.

Primary Radial Nerve Lesions in Humerus Shaft Fractures-Revision or Wait and See

Background: This study investigates the surgical state-of-the-art procedure for humeral shaft fractures with primary radial nerve palsy based on its own case series in relation to the current and established literature. Methods: Retrospective review of treated cases between January 2018 and December 2022 describing radial nerve palsy after humerus shaft fractures, radiological fracture classification, intraoperative findings, surgical procedure, patient follow-up and functional outcome. Results: A total of 804 patients (463 women and 341 men) with humerus shaft fractures were identified. A total of 33 patients showed symptomatic lesions of the radial nerve (4.1%). The primary lesion was identified in 17 patients (2.1%). A broad and inhomogeneous distribution of fractures according to the AO classification was found. According to the operative reports, the distraction of the radial nerve was found eleven times, bony interposed three times and soft tissue constricted/compressed three times. In every case the radial nerve was surgically explored, there was no case of complete traumatic nerve transection. Four intramedullary nails and thirteen locking plates were used for osteosynthesis. Complete recovery of nerve function was seen in 12 cases within 1 to 36 months. Three patients still showed mild hypesthesia in the thumb area after 18 months. Two patients were lost during follow-up. Conclusions: With this study, we support the strategy of early nerve exploration and plate osteosynthesis in humeral fractures with primary radial nerve palsy when there is a clear indication for surgical fracture stabilisation. In addition, early exploration appears sensible in the case of palsies in open fractures and secondary palsy following surgery without nerve exposure as well as in the case of diagnostically recognisable nerve damage. Late nerve exploration is recommended if there are no definite signs of recovery after 6 months. An initial wait-and-see strategy with clinical observation seems reasonable for primary radial nerve palsies without indication for surgical fracture stabilisation.

Study of Radial Nerve Injury Caused By Gunshot Wounds and Explosive Injuries among Iraqi Soldiers

BACKGROUND

Gunshot wounds and blast injuries to the upper limbs produce complex wounds requiring management by multiple surgical specialities.

AIM

We sought to determine the pattern of peripheral nerve injuries among Iraqi soldiers in the war.

METHODS

We performed a 3 year retrospective cohort analysis based on medical records of patients with sustaining gunshot wounds and blast injuries to the upper limbs. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review board. The patients included were male, serving military personnel of all age groups and ranks presenting with weakness or sensory loss of radial nerve. Three hundred eighteen patients aged 24 years or older with a high-energy, diaphyseal fracture of the humerus and complete motor and sensory radial nerve palsy were reviewed retrospectively. In these patients, the physical examination and electrodiagnostic study were carried out by experienced neurologists. Seddon's classification system was used to assess the severity of the injury. The data related to the types of fracture, the type of damage, the factors causing damage and the failure of treatment were entered into the IBM SPSS 23 software after extraction of files. Based on mid-range indicators and data distribution, traumatic injuries among Iraqi soldiers in the war against ISIL were then investigated.

RESULTS

A group of 318 patients with mean age of 25.41 ± 6 years were enrolled in the study, of which 127 patients were included with an open fracture and 191 patients with closed lesions. All 127 patients with a transected radial nerve had an open humerus fracture and were part of a complex upper-extremity injury. 113 of 127 subjects had primary repair of the radial nerve and recovered well. 14 of 127 subjects were not recovered. 3 of them had iatrogenic radial nerve injury due to the internal fixation device. Furthermore, all 191 patients with closed injuries recovered well. The average time to initial signs of recovery was 8 weeks (range, 1-27 weeks). Axonotmesis and Neurotmesis were found in 283 (89%) subjects. The average time to full recovery was determined to be 6 months (range, 1-22 months). The blast was found to be the main cause of nerve injury in 236 (74.2%) cases, followed by gunshot damage (21.4%, 68 subjects), falling from height and motor vehicle accidents (4.4%, 14 subjects) and multiple injuries (17%, 54 cases).

CONCLUSIONS

Trauma caused by factors such as explosions and gunshot worsens the condition of the injuries and presents the treatment conditions with many challenges. However, the success rate in post-surgical recovery of humerus fracture and injured radial nerve can be remarkably higher in young people as compared to other age groups.

Comparison between analgesic effect of bupivacaine thoracic epidural and ketamine infusion plus wound infiltration with local anesthetics in open cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND

Neuraxial blocks result in sympathetic block, sensory analgesia and motor block. Continuous epidural anesthesia through a catheter offers several options for perioperative analgesia. Local anesthetic boluses or infusions can provide profound analgesia. Although the role of low-dose ketamine (<2 mg/kg intramuscular, <1 mg/kg intravenous [IV] or ≤ 20 μg/kg/min by IV infusion) in the treatment of post-operative pain is controversial, perioperative administration of a small dose of ketamine may be valuable to a multimodal analgesic regimen. A local anesthetic can be used for wound infiltration intra-operative to minimized the surgical pain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective randomized study was performed in which 40 patients scheduled for elective open cholecystectomy under general anesthesia admitted to the Medical Research Institute were included and further subdivided into two groups, group A, received thoracic epidural catheter at T7-8, activation was done 20 min before induction of anesthesia with plain bupivacaine at a concentration of 0.25% at a volume of 1 ml/segment aiming to block sensory supply from T4-L2, then received continuous thoracic epidural infusion intra and postoperatively with plain bupivacaine at a concentration of 0.125% at a rate of 5 ml/h for 24 h, group B received 0.3 mg/kg bolus of ketamine at the time of induction then 0.1 mg/kg/h ketamine IV infusion during surgery followed by wound infiltration with 15 ml of plain bupivacaine 0.5% at the time of skin closure.

RESULTS

Bupivacaine thoracic epidural analgesia had better control on heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure than ketamine infusion plus wound infiltration with local anesthetic in patients undergoing open cholecystectomy.

CONCLUSION

Thoracic epidural analgesia had better control on hemodynamic changes intra-and postoperatively than ketamine infusion with local wound infiltration in open cholecystectomy.

Difficulty in Clinical Evaluation of Radial Nerve Injury due to Multiple Trauma to the Humerus, Wrist, and Hand

Radial nerve damage is frequently encountered in humeral fractures. The radial nerve is primarily damaged when the humerus gets fractured, while secondary damage maybe due to post-traumatic manipulations and surgical exploration. High impact traumatic nerve injury, serious neuropathic pain, lack of response to therapeutic interventions, and indifference to the Tinel test are indications for surgical intervention. Since most humeral fracture-induced low impact radial nerve injuries resolve spontaneously, conservative therapy is preferred. We present a patient with humeral fracture-associated radial nerve injury, accompanied with digital amputation and flexor tendon avulsion on the same arm. These injuries required immediate surgery, thus rendering the clinical evaluation of the radial nerve impossible. We would like to highlight and discuss the inherent difficulties associated with multiple trauma of the upper arm.

Nerve injuries sustained during warfare: part I--Epidemiology

We describe 261 peripheral nerve injuries sustained in war by 100 consecutive service men and women injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their mean age was 26.5 years (18.1 to 42.6), the median interval between injury and first review was 4.2 months (mean 8.4 months (0.36 to 48.49)) and median follow-up was 28.4 months (mean 20.5 months (1.3 to 64.2)). The nerve lesions were predominantly focal prolonged conduction block/neurapraxia in 116 (45%), axonotmesis in 92 (35%) and neurotmesis in 53 (20%) and were evenly distributed between the upper and the lower limbs. Explosions accounted for 164 (63%): 213 (82%) nerve injuries were associated with open wounds. Two or more main nerves were injured in 70 patients. The ulnar, common peroneal and tibial nerves were most commonly injured. In 69 patients there was a vascular injury, fracture, or both at the level of the nerve lesion. Major tissue loss was present in 50 patients: amputation of at least one limb was needed in 18. A total of 36 patients continued in severe neuropathic pain. This paper outlines the methods used in the assessment of these injuries and provides information about the depth and distribution of the nerve lesions, their associated injuries and neuropathic pain syndromes.

The management of humeral shaft fractures with associated radial nerve palsy: a review of 117 cases

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This single center retrospective study reviews the management and outcomes of 117 consecutive patients with humeral shaft fractures and associated radial nerve palsy (RNP) treated over a 20-year period (1986-2006). A total of 101 fractures were managed conservatively and 16 fractures underwent external fixation for poor bony alignment. Sixteen grade 1 and 2 open fractures underwent wound toileting alone. No patients underwent initial radial nerve exploration or opening of the fracture sites.

RESULTS

All patients achieved clinical and radiological bony union at a mean of 8 weeks (range 7-12 weeks). There were no complications or pin tract infections in the operated patients. A total of 111 cases had initial spontaneous RNP recovery at a mean of 6 weeks (range 3-24 weeks) with full RNP recovery at a mean of 17 weeks (range 3-70 weeks) post-injury. Fourteen patients had no clinical/EMG signs of nerve activity at 12 weeks and 6 subsequently failed to regain any radial nerve recovery; 2 had late explorations and the lacerated nerves underwent sural nerve cable neurorraphy; and 4 patients underwent delayed tendon transposition 2-3 years after initial injury, with good/excellent functional outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Humeral fractures with associated RNP may be treated expectantly. With low rates of humeral nonunion, 95% spontaneous nerve recovery in closed fractures and 94% in grade 1 and 2 open fractures, one has the opportunity of waiting. If at 10-12 weeks there are no clinical/EMG signs of recovery, then nerve exploration/secondary reconstruction is indicated. Late tendon transfers may also give good/excellent functional results.

Upper limb neurodynamic test of the radial nerve: a study of responses in symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects

STUDY DESIGN

Clinical measurement.

INTRODUCTION

Nonspecific cervical pain is a common clinical presentation. The role of upper limb neurodynamic tests (ULNT), for evaluation and treatment intervention, is not well defined for this population.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

This study's purpose was to determine if the radial-biased (RB)-ULNT discriminates any response differences between symptomatic subjects with a positive (+) RB-ULNT (n=36), symptomatic subjects with a negative (-) RB-ULNT (n=24), and asymptomatic subjects (n=60).

METHODS

Sixty asymptomatic and 60 subjects presenting with nonspecific cervical and/or unilateral upper extremity pain were compared using the RB-ULNT. Symptomatic subjects were further divided in (+) and (-) RB-ULNT groups due to their response to the RB-ULNT. Within the symptomatic population, a positive response to the RB-ULNT was defined by the symptomatic subject reporting their sensations were increased with contralateral cervical lateral flexion and decreased with ipsilateral cervical lateral flexion. Sensation provocation and location were evaluated using the RB-ULNT in all the subjects during each stage of the testing.

RESULTS

Significant differences on stage of reproduction and type of sensations were identified between 1) the (+) RB-ULNT symptomatic subjects, 2) the (-) RB-ULNT symptomatic subjects, and 3) the asymptomatic subjects. The (+) RB-ULNT group showed significantly increased pain responses during the first stage of the RB-ULNT compared with the (-) RB-ULNT group and the asymptomatic subjects. The (+) RB-ULNT also showed significantly decreased glenohumeral abduction passive range of motion when compared with the asymptomatic group.

CONCLUSION

Clinically, the differences found between the groups in their response to the RB-ULNT suggest heightened mechanosensitivity in the (+) RB-ULNT group.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3a.