Repair of nerve injuries in the forearm using a silicone tube. Long-term clinical results

Objective The aim of the present study is to evaluate motor and sensory results obtained after reconstruction of peripheral nerve injuries in the forearm, using silicone tubes. Methods A series of 16 injuries of forearm nerves (7 median, 7 ulnar, 1 radial sensory branch, 1 dorsal ulnar cutaneous branch) repaired with use of direct neurorraphy through a silicon tube were retrospectively studied. Eleven patients suffered associated arterial and tendinous injuries. Secondary nerve repair was performed in 3 cases and primary repair in 13, two of them in the context of re-implant of the upper limb. The series was evaluated using the functional scale described by Chanson. Results At a mean follow-up of 24 months, and having 2 cases excluded due to isolated injury of sensory branches, we obtained a 64% of good or excellent results, 28% of satisfactory results and 1 bad result. The tube was removed in 6 cases; 4 due to palpable painless tumour in the site of insertion, a case with compression symptoms after complete nerve function restoration and another that showed herniation of the stumps. In 5 cases the macroscopic restoration of the nerve was verified at the time of tube removal. Conclusion The use of silicone tubes in the reconstruction of acute, subacute and chronic nerve injuries in the forearm seems to give good results in most of the cases, with macroscopic anatomy restitution of the nerve and good functional recovery.