Assessment of war and accidental nerve injuries in children

Eleven children with war-related peripheral nerve injury and 16 children wi th accident-related nerve injury between the ages of 3 and 15 years were as sessed clinically and electromyoneurographically for 1-15 months. Lesions o f 32 peripheral nerves were registered in children with war injuries. Child ren with accidentally acquired injuries had lesions of 27 peripheral nerves . A complete loss of voluntary motor unit potentials and signs of total axo nal damage were recorded in the upper arms of seven of 11 children with war injuries and in five of 16 children with accidental injuries. There was a diminished number of motor unit potentials and a reduction in compound musc le action potential amplitudes, indicating partial nerve lesions, in 11 of 16 children with accidental injuries (mostly after humeral fracture) and in three of 11 children with brachial plexus war injuries. Reinnervation sign s first occurred after 5-9 months (mean = 6.2 months) in war-injured childr en receiving conservative treatment and after 2-7 months (mean = 3.4 months ) in children with accidentally acquired injuries. War-related peripheral n erve injuries in children are more frequently associated with complete dene rvation followed by slower or delayed nerve regeneration. In children with accidentally acquired nerve injuries the course is significantly better. (C ) 1999 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.