To put the nerves simply; It is a system of cables that originate from the brain and spinal cord and carry electrical current to the organs to provide movement, and bring back sensations such as sensation, heat and pressure sensation from the organs. Therefore, nerves are of two types: movement, that is, motor function and sensory nerves.
The nerves in our fingers are pure sensory nerves. They have nothing to do with movement. The purpose of repairing an injured finger nerve is to restore functional sensation and prevent the formation of painful cut nerve ending swellings called neuromas.
In patients presenting with finger injuries, before local anesthesia, sensation tests, two-point discrimination tests, etc. are performed to understand the nerve damage. A neurological examination including evaluations is required. Since the vessels that provide circulation to the fingers are right next to the nerves, there is a high probability of them being injured together. Therefore, the veins and tendons that enable finger movement are also examined carefully.
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Early nerve injury repair
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The young age of the patient
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The wound should be clean
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The nerve should be cut in a way called guillotine incision
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The patient should not smoke
The most important of these factors is age. Although treatment results are much better in children, nerve repair has no age limit. There is no time limit for the repair of sensory nerves in the early period, but the earlier it is done, the better the results. After three weeks, it becomes difficult to bring the nerves end to end due to retraction and adhesions in the surrounding tissues, which may negatively affect the surgical results.
Finger Nerve Repair with Microsurgery
Approximately 2 mm. Microsurgical techniques are used to repair finger nerves. Under a microscope at 10 times magnification, the nerves are stitched back together with suture materials of a thickness that is barely visible to the naked eye. If the cut ends of the nerves are diminished or retracted so much that they do not come end to end, pieces of nerves taken from the leg are stitched together in the form of a bridge. After the surgery, the stitches applied are very thin. A 3-week protective cast-splint is applied to protect the wound area.
Healing Time for Finger Nerve Injuries
The nerves repaired after the surgery vary depending on the patient's age and type of injury. On average, 1 mm per day. progresses and gets better. For example, the distance from the fingertip is 6 cm. The healing time for an injury is 2 months (60mm. x day). During this period, the patient will not be able to feel his fingertip, so he should be careful against burns and injuries.
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