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Ulnar nerve lesions: functional outcome after five years
F C van Nispen1, P U Dijkstra, J H Geertzen
1Department of Rehabilitation, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
Objective:
To analyse perceived impairments, disability, job restrictions and job changes in subjects with a neurapraxia and neurotmesis of the ulnar nerve five years after trauma.
Design:
Retrospective, descriptive follow-up study.
Setting:
Department of Rehabilitation of a University Hospital.
Subjects:
Sixteen subjects with a neurotmesis (NT-group) and 20 subjects with a neurapraxia (NP-group) were compared by means of a structured interview assessing perceived impairments and change in job and a questionnaire assessing disabilities (Groningen Activity Restriction Scale: GARS).
Results:
The NP-group perceived significantly more pain, loss of strength and sensation, loss of dexterity and perceived more job-related restrictions than the NT-group. The NP-group had significantly higher scores on the GARS. There was a moderate correlation between the visual analogue score of the pain and the GARS in the NP- and NT-groups. No significant difference was found between the groups with respect to job changes.
Conclusions:
This study shows that subjects with a neurapraxia of the ulnar nerve perceive more impairments and disabilities compared with those subjects with a neurotmesis.