CLINICAL-APPLICATION OF MOTORSENSORY DIFFERENTIATED NERVE REPAIR

Since 1979 acetylcholinesterase has been used in clinical practice for motorsensory differentiation. It was first used for median and ulnar nerve injuries at the wrist. Recently the application was extended to secondary nerve repair, including plexus reconstruction. The aim of th is study was to present, for the first time, clinical results of motor sensory differentiated median and ulnar nerve repair and to show the a dvantage of this method in secondary, repair. We compared a group of n ine patients with motorsensory differentiated median and ulnar nerve r epair with a group of 13 patients without motorsensory differentiation . Sensibility testing, strength measurements, and anatomical examinati ons were performed. The hand function was expressed in percentage valu es. Compound muscle action potentials and sensory antidromic conductio n velocities were measured electroneurographically. Sensibility recove ry was significantly better after motorsensory differentiated median n erve repair (P < 0.05). In secondary nerve repair acetylcholinesterase was used additionally for evaluating the level of resection of the pr oximal stump. The time required for perioperative histochemical differ entiation has now been reduced to 2 hr.