Objective To investigate the effectiveness and surgical skills of microsurgical repair of radial nerve deep branch injury. Methods Between March 2001 and February 2011, 49 cases of radial nerve deep branch injury were treated by microsurgical technique. There were 40 males and 9 females with an average age of 32 years (range, 19-58 years), including 13 cases of knife-cut injury, 9 cases of electric-saw injury, 7 cases of dagger-stab injury, 6 cases of glass-cut injury, 5 cases of iatrogenic injury, 4 cases of Monteggia fracture, 3 cases of nailgun injury, and 2 cases of crush injury of the forearm complicated by fracture of the proximal radius. The disease duration ranged from 3 hours to 3 years and 8 months (mean, 4.9 months). The sites of injury were at front of supinator tube in 15 cases, in the supinator tube in 23 cases, and at back of supinator tube in 11 cases. One-stage repair was performed by end-to-end suture in 21 cases, including 9 cases of epineurial neurorrhaphy and 12 cases of perineurial neurorrhaphy; two-stage repair was performed in 28 cases, including 26 cases of sural nerve graft and 2 cases of neurolysis. Results Postoperative wounds primarily healed. All patients were followed up 21.5 months on average (range, 12-39 months). At last follow-up, in 21 cases of one-stage repair, the muscle strength of the extensor pollicis longus was level 5 in 13 cases, and level 4 in 8 cases; in 28 cases of two-stage repair, the muscle strength of the extensor pollicis longus was level 5 in 2 cases, level 4 in 21 cases, level 3 in 4 cases, and level 2 in 1 case; and significant difference was found (Z= — 5.340, P=0.000). In 9 cases undergoing epineurial neurorrhaphy at one-stage repair, the muscle strength of the extensor pollicis longus was level 5 in 3 cases, and level 4 in 6 cases; in 12 cases undergoing perineurial neurorrhaphy at one-stage repair, the muscle strength of the extensor pollicis longus was level 5 in 10 cases, and level 4 in 2 cases; and significant difference was found (Z= — 2.279, P=0.023). In 26 cases undergoing nerve graft at two-stage repair, the muscle strength of the extensor pollicis longus was level 5 in 2 cases, level 4 in 20 cases, level 3 in 3 cases, and level 2 in 1 case; in 2 cases undergoing neurolysis at two-stage repair, the muscle strength of the extensor pollicis longus was level 4 in 1 case and level 3 in 1 case; and no significant difference was found (Z= — 1.117, P=0.264). According to the upper arm function assessment criterion issued by Hand Surgery Association of Chinese Medicine Association, the results were excellent in 18 cases, good in 3 cases in one-stage repair patients; excellent in 2 cases, good in 21 cases, fair in 4 cases, and poor in 1 case in two-stage repair patients; and there was significant difference (Z= — 5.340, P=0.000). Conclusion Microsurgical one-stage repair of radial nerve deep branch injury can obtain better effectiveness than two-stage repair by nerve graft, and perineurial neurorrhaphy is significantly better than epineurial neurorrhaphy.
Objective To analyze the effectiveness and advantages of the microsurgical repair of flexor tendon rupture with non-knot Kessler suture method in anastomotic stoma by comparing with the method of traditional Kessler suture. Methods Between February 2005 and February 2010, 122 patients (163 fingers with 243 flexor digital tendons) with flexor tendon rupture, were treated with microsurgical repair by non-knot Kessler suture method (treatment group); flexor tendon was sutured, and sodium hyaluronate was used to repair tendon membrane, tendon sheaths, and the tissue surroundingtendons. The cl inical data were analysed, and were compared with ones from 96 patients (130 fingers with 186 flexor digital tendons) with flexor tendon rupture treated with traditional Kessler suture between February 2001 and February 2005 (control group). There was no significant difference in gender, age, cause of injury, injury site, duration, and other general information between 2 groups (P gt; 0.05). Kleinert elastic traction therapy (dynamic-protection) was performed at 3 weeks after surgery, and the finger function exercise was done after 24 hours. Results Infection of incision occurred in 2 cases of the treatment group and in 5 cases of the control group, and were cured after 2 weeks of dressing change; the other incisions healed by first intention. The patients were followed up 6 to 14 months (mean, 9 months). In the treatment group, the total active movement (TAM) was (192.0 ± 13.1)°; the results were excellent in 54 cases, good in 58 cases, moderate in 8 cases, and poor in 2 cases with an excellent and good rate of 92%. In the control group, TAM was (170.0 ± 15.2)°; the results were excellent in 23 cases, good in 30 cases, moderate in 22 cases, and poor in 21 cases with an excellent and good rate of 55%. Significant difference in TAM was found between 2 groups (P lt; 0.01). Conclusion The microsurgical repair of flexor tendon with non-knot Kessler suture method in anastomotic stoma with repair of tendon membrane, tendon sheaths, and the tissue surrounding tendons is more effective than the traditional Kessler suture, but long-term effectiveness still needs further observation.