engleski

Gunshot injuries of peripheral nerves and nerve plexus

The purpose of this study is to evaluae peripheral nerve war injuries and nerve plexus injuries sustained during the war in southern Croatia and Bosna and Herzegovina. At the Laboratory of Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Split, 713 patients with wounds inflicted by firearms underwent electromyographic and neurographic examinations. We examined and controlled the patients on three occasions: two months after the wounding , up to sixmonths afer the wounding and more than six months after the wounding. The patients, aged from 6 to 73 were soldiers and civilians alike. wounds were inflicted by shell fragments in 80, and by projectiles in 20% of the patients. Single peripheral neve lesions were found in 80%, and multiple peripheral nerve or plexus lesions in 20% of the patients. Peroneal and ulnar nerves were most often damaged. Associated massive injuries to the muscles, large blood vessels or vital organs were present in 45% of the cases. In the prognostic classsification of gunshot inflicted peripheral nerve injuries and nerve plexus electromyographic findings were of greatest value. According to our results better recovery was achieved when conservative and physical therapy was initiated early and with the maximum patient co-operation.

peripheral nerves; plexus; injuries

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