[Neurological aspects of nerve transplantation]

Neurological aspects of nerve-grafting are discussed. Methods designed for quantification of the pre-and the postoperative neurologicalsyhdromes ("index of integral function") and for the selective description of sensory impairment ("index of sensibility") are presented. These methods may facilitate the comparison of results of different investigators. The rate of positive results could possibly be raised if patients could be operated earlier. Considerable improvement can be expected only, when nervegrafting takes place as soon as possible, at the latest six months after injury. Grafting is no longer recommendable, when 12 months or more have passed even when only sensory recovery is aimed at. The reason is that reduction of sensory functions usually causes less impairment than vegetative and trophic changes which may occur as sequelae of the operation.