[Fresh nerve and vascular injuries of the forearm and hand (management, results and problems)]

Lacerations of arteries and nerves not only result in motor and sensory deficiencies. Trophic changes occur as well, more frequently after nerve injuries than after vascular injuries. The major progress in their treatment consists in primary repair of the injured structures in order to keep their loss of function as brief and as minimal as possible. Although the results after nerve laceration are still far from being ideal, there are strong indications that an improvement can be obtained with this treatment strategy. Alternatives to primary repair are discussed.