[Nerve injuries of the knee joint]

Injuries of the tibial nerve in lesions of knee joint are rare, gunshot or stab wounds excluded. Injuries of the peroneal nerve happen more often and are found in fractures of the fibular head, in direct traumata and due to intensive extension to enable nailing of fractures of the femoral neck or of the femur. In open nerve injuries immediate suturing can only be done in so called razor-cut lesions and if no dehiscence or infection is present. All other nerve injuries are treated beginning from the 6th week but not later than 6 month after the accident. The same applies to all blunt nerve injuries failing spontaneous remission. By using the fascicular suture technique and by autologous nerve transplantation the chance of success has been improved.