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What is
Nerve Repair of Finger?
This is a kind of operation to restore the
nerve in your finger.
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Effects
of Nerve Repair of Finger
Surgery may be necessary for most patients in order to
restore the severed nerve. Delaying surgery
can make it difficult to repair the severed
nerve and impair recovery as well.
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Candidates
for Nerve Repair of Finger
Surgery may be an option if the patient has a serious
laceration or other injury that damages the
nerve of a finger. It is necessary to repair
digital nerves since these conduct
electrical impulses to and from the brain,
and it provides sensation and movement to
the hand and fingers.
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Your
Consultation
Through an initial evaluation, the doctor will determine
whether surgery is needed to treat a nerve
injury. In addition to the office
examination, some special tests may be
necessary too. If surgery is required, the
doctor will present you with several
treatment options.
For the most part, the nerves in the arm and hand can be sewn
together or "sutured". The major nerves are sizeable enough
to be fixed all the way to the tips of the fingers. If there
is a loss of a fraction of the nerve, the doctor may propose
a nerve graft. It should be carefully discussed whether or
not this type of trade-off is suitable for you. If the nerve
cannot be repaired, there may be other choices available.
The doctor will discuss the options and realistic
expectations for function.
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The Nerve Repair of Finger
Procedure
During the procedure, the cut in your finger will be extended
in order to locate the ends of your cut
nerve. Then the nerve will be sewn together
with very fine stitches. Finally, the skin
wound will be closed up with stitches.
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Recovery
About 6 weeks after your operation, you should start to have
some feeling in your finger. The finger may
be extra sensitive for approximately a
period of 6 months but this eventually
passes. The sense of touch in your finger
will progress for up to 3 years. The
sensation will never be normal, it will be
different.
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Risks
Occasionally, there may be wound infection and you will be
provided with antibiotics to try and prevent
this. There is also the risk that the nerve
may not heal and this may leave part of your
finger permanently numb.
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Frequently Asked
Questions
Q:
What
are
nerves?
A:
Nerves
are like “wires” of the body that transmit information to
and from the brain. Motor nerves transmit messages from the
brain to muscles to make the body move. Sensory nerves send
out messages to the brain from various parts of the body to
signal pain, pressure and temperature. Although the
individual axon (nerve fiber) pass on only one type of
message, either motor or sensory, nearly all nerves in the
body are made up of both.
Q: What
happens when a nerve is injured?
A:
Nerves
are fragile and can be damaged by pressure, stretching or
cutting. When a nerve is injured, it can stop signals to and
from the brain, making the muscles not work properly. This
may cause a loss of sensation in the injured area. In cases
where a nerve is cut, both the nerve and the insulation are
broken. Injuries involving pressure or stretching can affect
the fibers carrying the information to break and stop the
nerve from functioning, without damaging the cover.
Q: What are
some of the factors that might affect prognosis of nerve
repair?
A:
Healing depends on the manner in which the nerve was
wounded. From a surgical point of view, a sharp laceration,
similar to a knife wound, has a good prognosis. It can be
closed early and should do fairly well. The most awful forms
of wounds are those produced by projectiles. The rapid
changes in momentum have a tendency to injure a great deal
of tissue and can result in debris in the wound. These kinds
of injuries typically bring about axonotmesis, although
natural recovery is likely.
Q: How do
nerves heal?
A:
Nerves
in the arm and hand are extensions from the spinal cord.
Every nerve comprises of millions of tiny fibers called
axons. These microscopic structures are the "wiring" of the
nervous system. When a nerve is cut, the axons that are on
the side towards the hand and away from the spinal cord are
no longer attached to the central nervous system. These
axons deteriorate and leave behind only the hollow tube in
which they used to travel. After a nerve is restored, the
axons have to grow down these tiny hollow tubes to reinstate
function. Not all are able to redevelop successfully among
the millions of axons injured. The axons that do renew will
normally not travel down exactly the same path that they
once took. Because of this, recovery after nerve repair is
not perfect and depends upon many variables.
The most significant part of nerve regeneration is the
difference from repairing electrical wiring. In other words,
the connection is not immediately established after nerve
repair. Renewing axons develop at an average rate of one
inch per month. With this in mind, you can expect the length
of time necessary subsequent to nerve repair to recuperate
function. A nerve repair at the wrist takes 5 or 6 months to
retrieve sensation in the fingertips.
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