Nerve Repair and Regeneration

Abstract

An innervated hand is fundamental to our everyday activities. Motor competence aids manual dexterity and sensory proficiency is essential for tactile gnosis. Peripheral nerve injuries are a major source of chronic disability and all effort should be made to optimise functional recovery. Thorough motor and sensory assessment will define the extent of an injury and allow surveillance of returning function post repair. The restorative techniques employed aim to maximise the number of regenerating nerve fibres correctly reaching appropriate target organs in the shortest time possible after injury. Processes like sensory re-education can then optimise the cortical interpretation of new signals returning to the brain. A comprehension of the macroscopic and microscopic features of peripheral nerve repair and regeneration is beneficial to all health professionals working in this field.