Functional results of low median and ulnar nerve repair with intraneural fascicular dissection and electrical fascicular orientation

Twenty-eight low median nerve injuries and 23 low ulnar nerve injuries were repaired using intraneural fascicular dissection and electrical fascicular orientation. Eleven freshly lacerated nerves were seen within 48 hours after injury; 40 nerve lacerations were chronic. Fascicular orientation between sensory and motor fascicles at the proximal nerve end could be accurately differentiated in 47 nerves (92%) independent of whether it was acute or chronic. At the distal nerve end in fresh lacerations, the motor fascicles could be determined conclusively by muscle contraction with sequential electrical stimulation of the fascicles. In chronic nerve lacerations, the distal fascicles could be estimated anatomically after internal neurolysis. After fascicular orientation, nerves were repaired with end-to-end group fascicular suture or interfascicular sural nerve grafting. Twenty-four nerves repaired with end-to-end suture and 13 nerves repaired with nerve grafting were monitored more than 25 months. Satisfactory sensory results (i.e., S3+ or S4 functions) were obtained in 29 nerves (78%) and M4 or M5 motor functions were achieved in 29 nerves (78%). There were no patients who needed additional tendon transfers to reconstruct thumb opposition or to correct claw finger deformity. These results suggest that low median or ulnar nerve lacerations, whether acute or chronic, partial or complete, may be successfully repaired with the aid of electrical fascicular orientation with or without intraneural fascicular dissection. Copyright (C) 1998 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.