From the Research
Optimal Timing for Digital Nerve Repair
The optimal timing for digital nerve repair is a crucial factor in determining the success of the treatment. Several studies have investigated the impact of timing on sensory recovery after digital nerve reconstruction.
- A systematic review of prognostic factors for sensory recovery after digital nerve reconstruction found that nerve reconstructions performed within 15 days of injury had significantly better static 2-point discrimination than delayed procedures 1.
- Another study found that the type of operation for digital nerve repair does not influence sensory outcome, but age and follow-up were verified predictors of sensory recovery 2.
- A study on the effect of injury area on the success of treatment in digital nerve injury found that direct repair emerged superior among injuries of Zone 1 and Zone 2 with high success rates and good patient-reported outcomes, and that repairs in Zone 1 are more successful than those in Zone 2 3.
- A review of microsurgical techniques for digital nerve injuries and vascular injuries found that primary end-to-end repair and reconstruction of digital nerves increases a patient's likelihood of sensation recovery, and that surgical intervention to repair or reconstruct the digital nerves increases the likelihood of recovering pre-injury sensation 4.
Factors Influencing Sensory Recovery
Several factors can influence sensory recovery after digital nerve repair, including:
- Age: Older patients may have poorer sensory recovery than younger patients 2.
- Follow-up: Longer follow-up periods may be associated with better sensory recovery 2.
- Delay in repair: Delaying repair for more than 15 days may result in poorer sensory recovery 1.
- Defect length: Shorter defect lengths (<1.3 cm) may be associated with better sensory recovery 1.
- Injury area: Injuries in Zone 1 may have better sensory recovery than injuries in Zone 2 3.