[Late results of connection operations on traumatically damaged nerves]

50 patients with complete interruption of the N. radialis, N. ulnaris or N. medianus who had been treated surgically in the classic manner, i.e. with a suture on the epineurium, were subjected to clinical and electromyographical checkups within 3 to 10 years after the operations. The results of the examinations were correlated with specific indicators of the lesion and the operation. The most important and statistically significant correlation was confirmed to exist between the injury/operation interval and the extension of the nerve defect, with the extension of the defect being more significant. Depending on the extension of the defect, the following critical time intervals were found: with a defect of 2.5 cm 24 months, with a defect of 3 cm 18 months, with a defect of 4 cm 9 months and with a defect of 5 cm 6 months. If the defect was longer than 5 cm or the time interval longer than 24 months, the final result had to be assessed as bad in all cases.