RESULTS: Complete clinical records were available for 24 patients who fit the inclusion criteria for the period of May 2008 to April 2010. Fifteen patients were managed expectantly and showed signs of spontaneous nerve recovery at a mean of 4 weeks. One patient proceeded to theater for early exploration where an intact but kinked nerve was found. Eight patients underwent ultrasound examination of their nerves; on the basis of the ultrasound findings, 3 proceeded to theater for nerve repair or neurolysis and 5 were managed expectantly with first signs of nerve recovery seen at a mean of 12 weeks for the surgical group, and 13.2 weeks for the nonsurgical group.
CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound examination of peripheral nerves provides pathomorphologic information that can aid our clinical decision-making process and identify those patients who would benefit from early surgical intervention. In our case series, ultrasound findings correlated with intraoperative findings and clinical recovery.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III evidence retrospective comparative study.
PMID: 23389569 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Read more... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23389569?dopt=Abstract
