Outcomes of primary surgical repair of zone 2 dDigital nerve injury

Abstract

The objective of our study was to assess the functional and sensory outcomes of the primary repair of 138 digital nerve injuries in 48 consecutive patients between January 2012 and November 2014, and to determine whether there were any relationships between demographics, clinical characteristics, or functional test results and post-operative sensory recovery outcomes. Mean follow-up was 14 (range, 10 to 20) months. Sensory evaluation was performed using the static two-point discrimination test, and post-operative sensoryrecovery results were classified according to the Seddon Classification: 69 (50%) injuries were S3+, 3 (2%) were S3, 15 (11%) were S2, 18 (13%) were S1, and 33 (24%) were S0. Sensory recovery was associated with time between surgery and testing and with objective functional recovery. More than half of digits sustaining nerve injuries had good intermediate-term recovery of sensation after early primary surgical repair. Surgeon experience and early primary repair may have a favorable impact on results.