[Radial nerve paralysis--causes, site and diagnosis. Analysis of 103 cases]

The results of a retrospective analysis of 103 patients presenting with a radial nerve palsy are reported. Among the traumatic injuries of peripheral nerves the radial nerve is the one most frequently affected due to its exposed anatomic site with close neighbourhood to the long bones of the arm. Fractures of the shaft of the humerus (18%) and proximal radius (12%) are the main causes of traumatic lesions (55%). Among the non-traumatic peripheral nerve injuries the radial nerve is less frequently affected than the median and the ulnar nerves. The most frequent site of radial nerve lesions in these cases is the upper arm (22%), the most frequent cause is pressure palsy (21%) during unphysiological deep sleep ("Saturday night paralysis").