Follow-up evaluation with ultrasonography of peripheral nerve injuries after an earthquake

• Published in: Neural regeneration research Vol. 9; no. 6; pp. 582 - 588
• Main Authors: Lu, Man, Wang, Yue, Yue, Linxian, Chiu, Jack, He, Fanding, Wu, Xiaojing, Zang, Bin, Lu, Bin, Yao, Xiaoke, Jiang, Zirui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 15.03.2014; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Department of Ultrasound, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China%Department of 0rthopedics, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China%Department of Radiology, University Hospital, University of Western 0ntario, 0ntario, Canada%Chengdu Jiaxiang Foreign Languages School, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd
• Subjects: Brain; China; Clinical outcomes; Contusions; Diagnosis, Ultrasonic; Earthquakes; Electromyography; Health aspects; Injuries; Ischemia; Magnetic resonance imaging; Nerves, Peripheral; Nervous system; Pain; Research and Report; Scars; Surgery; Trauma; Ultrasonic imaging; 临床症状; 临床诊断; 后评价; 周围神经损伤; 地震后; 外周神经损伤; 检查结果; 超声检查; China; follow-up; repair; neural regeneration; peripheral nerve; nerve injury; Wenchuan; earthquake; nerve regeneration; 863 Program; ultrasound
• ISSN: 1673-5374; 1876-7958
• DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.130095

Published data on earthquake-associated peripheral nerve injury is very limited. Ultrasonography has been proven to be efficient in the clinic to diagnose peripheral nerve injury. The aim of this study was to assess the role of ultrasound in the evaluation of persistent peripheral nerve injuries 1 year after the Wenchuan earthquake. Thirty-four patients with persistent clinical symptoms and neurologic signs of impaired nerve function were evaluated with sonography prior to surgi- cal repair. Among 34 patients, ultrasonography showed that 48 peripheral nerves were entrapped, and 11 peripheral nerves were disrupted. There was one case of misdiagnosis on ultrasonogra- phy. The concordance rate of ultrasonographic findings with those of surgical findings was 98%. A total of 48 involved nerves underwent neurolysis and the symptoms resolved. Only five nerves had scar tissue entrapment. Preoperative and postoperative clinical and ultrasonographic results were concordant, which verified that ultrasonography is useful for preoperative diagnosis and postoperative evaluation of injured peripheral nerves.