10.5680/LHHS000030
Hems, Timothy E.
Timothy E.
Hems
The Victoria Infirmary, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Nerve injury: Classification, clinical assessment, investigation, and management
GMS
2016
Book chapter
610 Medical sciences; Medicine
hand surgery
2016-04-28
licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license
Seddon’s classification of nerve injuries into three categories, neurapraxia,
axonotmesis, and neurotmesis provides a basis for assessment, prognosis, and management. The clinical history and examination
are paramount in assessing the extent and severity of nerve injury. Investigations, including neurophysiology testing
and imaging with MRI or ultrasound, may give extra diagnostic information. Open nerve injuries require exploration and
repair within a few days. Closed stretch or compression injuries may warrant early exploration or can be managed expectantly
depending on the probability that nerves are disrupted.
Chapter of Living Textbook of Hand Surgery