Transient peripheral ischemia may restore quickly the motility in patients with compression neuropathy

Transient ischemia of the extremities was applied in compression or traumatic neuropathies affecting radial nerve (17 cases), ulnar nerve (3 cases), upper brachial plexus (4 cases) or peroneal nerve (10 cases). The limb opposite to that displaying paresis was submitted repeatedly to a 15-minute-period of ischemia every other day for two weeks. The procedure induced in most patients (27 out of 34 cases) a motor improvement of variable degree. In some patients (13 cases) the motor recovery occurred two days or more after starting the procedures, while in others (14 cases) during the very day in which the initial session of ischemia was made or even during the first hour of procedure application. The most beneficial effects of peripheral ischemia were noted in compression neuropathy of peroneal nerve palsy, 9 out of 10 patients with such a disorder being improved by the procedure. We suppose that the method of therapy proposed by us restores promptly the motility of patients with compression neuropathy by inducing a long-lasting activation of some central neural mechanisms.