Repair of injured peripheral nerves belongs to the most challenging problems in reconstructive surgery (Lundborg 1993). A fresh clean-cut transection of the median nerve at wrist level may be meticulously repaired by the use of microsurgical techniques, but the functional outcome of the procedure is unpredictable. The magnitude of the problem increases with more extensive nerve injuries where a segmental defect in the nerve has to be bridged by nerve grafts. Hand surgeons and hand therapists may be frustrated by the situation since the repair may be technically perfect and the rehabilitation is carried out in accordance with the latest concepts, still the outcome may be disappointing.
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