Intrinsic reinnervation--myth or reality?

A clinical and electromyographic study of major nerve transections at the wrist in 22 patients has shown that electrical recovery nearly always occurs in the intrinsic muscles, despite the absence of clinically detectable function. There appears to be a level of electrical reinnervation above which clinically detectable intrinsic muscle power is usually present. This level would appear to be 50% of the contralateral maximum evoked muscle action potential; above this the "myth" of clinical recovery becomes a reality.