State of the Art and Advances in Peripheral Nerve Surgery.

This review is intended to describe and actualize the basic knowledge of the three basic entities that affect the peripheral nerve system and can be treated by surgery: nerve trauma, chronic nerve compressions, and tumors.Regarding trauma, emphasis is given on the timing of surgery, given the fact that the moment in which the surgery is performed and the employed microsurgical reconstruction technique are the most important factors in the final result. Open lesions with associated nerve injury should be managed with an early exploration carried out before 7 days. Closed injuries are usually deferred, with few exceptions, from 3 to 6 months after the trauma.In turn, chronic compressions require an appropriate clinical, neurophysiological, and imaging diagnosis. Isolated sensory symptoms can be treated actively though without surgery: motor signs like atrophy should be regarded as a sign for immediate surgery, as a deferred treatment might cause an irreversible nerve and muscular damage. Endoscopic approaches are a valuable tool for treatment in selected neuropathies.Finally, nerve tumors demand a thorough preoperative evaluation, as benign tumors are treated in a very different way when compared to malignant lesions. Benign tumors can usually be safely and completely resected without sacrificing the nerve of origin. When malignancy is confirmed, extensive resection to optimize patient survival is the main objective, potentially at the expense of neurological function. This may then be followed by adjuvant radiation and/or chemotherapy, depending on the nature of the tumor and the completeness of resection attained. The role of nerve biopsy remains controversial, and several modern diagnostic techniques might be helpful.

Use of ultrasound and targeted physiotherapy to manage nerve sutures placed under joint flexion: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Joint flexion to diminish the gap and avoid nerve grafts fell into disuse for decades, but recently attention for using this technique was regained. We report a case series of nerve suture under joint flexion, ultrasound monitoring, and physiotherapy. Our main objective was to determine how effective this multimodality treatment is. METHODS: A retrospective review of 8 patients treated with direct repair with joint flexion was done. Depending on the affected nerve, either the knee or the elbow was flexed intraoperatively to determine if direct suturing was possible. After surgery, the limb was held immobilized. Through serial ultrasounds and a physiotherapy program, the limb was fully extended. If a nerve repair rupture was observed, the patient was re-operated and grafts were used. RESULTS: Of the eight nerve sutures analyzed, four sustained a nerve rupture revealed by US at an early stage, while four did not show any sign of dehiscence. In the patients in whom the nerve suture was preserved, an early and very good response was observed. Ultrasound was 100% accurate at identifying nerve suture preservation. Early detection of nerve failure permitted early re-do surgery using grafts without flexion, ultimately determining good final results. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high rate of dehiscence in our group of patients treated with direct repair and joint flexion. We believe this was due to an incorrect use of the immobilization device, excessive movement, or a broken device. In opposition to this, we observed that applying direct nerve sutures and joint flexion offers unusually good and fast results. If this technique is employed, it is mandatory to closely monitor suture status with US, together with physiotherapy providing progressive, US-guided extension of the flexed joint. If nerve rupture occurs, the close monitoring dictated by this protocol should ensure the timely application of a successful graft repair.

Neuropathic inguinal pain due to nerve injury after a laparoscopic appendectomy: first pediatric case described in the literature.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the first pediatric case in the literature of neuropathic inguinal pain secondary to iatrogenic nerve injury that occurred during a laparoscopic appendectomy, detailing clinical and morphological findings before and after surgery. The literature on adult patients is reviewed and pathophysiological, therapeutic, and prognostic factors are discussed. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 14-year-old female patient presented with a history of a laparoscopic appendectomy 3 years previously. Three months post-operatively, she developed progressively worsening neuropathic inguinal pain refractory to neuromodulators and several nerve blocks. Given her deterioration, poor response to conservative therapy, and clearly meeting the criteria for chronic post-operative inguinal pain (CPIP), surgical management was undertaken. RESULTS: Open surgery was performed through the previous incision, during which injury to a branch of the iliohypogastric nerve (IH) was confirmed. Neurolysis of the affected branch was performed, after which the patient experienced significant pain relief, resolution of allodynia, and reversal of skin hyperpigmentation. After discharge, analgesic therapy was gradually withdrawn and, ultimately, discontinued altogether. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the neuroanatomy of the inguinal region is an indispensable requirement for all surgeons operating in this region, to avoid complications including CPIP and optimize patient outcomes. Surgical management of CPIP can be effective for controlling severe pain in patients in whom conservative management has failed. Studies are needed in the pediatric population to identify specific characteristics of this entity in youth.

Use of ultrasound and targeted physiotherapy in the management of a nerve suture performed under joint flexion.

BACKGROUND: In 1915, when Delorme described three general requirements for successful nerve repair-(1) resecting scar until a healthy bed is secured, (2) excising damaged nerve until healthy stumps are reached, and (3) placing tension-free sutures, either by adequately mobilizing adjacent joints or nerve grafting-his work was heavily criticized. One century later, history has vindicated all but one of these claims. Flexing adjacent joints to avoid nerve grafts remains controversial, though this practice has increased in recent years. METHODS: An 11-year-old male suffered a penetrating domestic accident that resulted in complete foot drop. At surgery, a 6-cm gap was treated with direct nerve sutures, for which the knee was maintained in 60° flexion in a cast. To avoid damage to the nerve sutures, ultrasound and an intense, though cautious physiotherapy program were employed to guide the progression of knee extension. RESULTS: The patient started to show clear signs of peroneal motor function recovery within 3 months of surgical repair, and almost complete recovery by 4 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Using physiotherapy and ultrasound might validate the classic joint-flexion technique in select patients with lower-limb nerve injuries.

Cirugía de la parálisis facial. Conceptos actuales / Facial paralysis surgery. Current concepts

La parálisis facial es una afección relativamente común que en la mayor parte de los casos se recuperan espontáneamente. Sin embargo, cada año se presentan 127.000 nuevos casos de parálisis faciales irreversibles. Esta patología produce consecuencias devastadoras estéticas, funcionales y psicológicas en los pacientes que la padecen. Se han descrito diversas técnicas reconstructivas al respecto, no existiendo consenso en cuanto a su utilización. Si bien los resultados que dichas técnicas ofrecen no son perfectos, muchos de ellos otorgan un muy buen resultado estético y funcional, favoreciendo la reinserción psicológica, social y laboral del paciente. El objetivo de este artículo es describir las indicaciones en las que se emplea cada técnica, sus resultados y el momento ideal en que cada una de ellas debe ser aplicada

Facial palsy is a relatively common condition, from which most cases recover spontaneously. However, each year, there are 127,000 new cases of irreversible facial paralysis. This condition causes aesthetic, functional and psychologically devastating effects in the patients who suffer it. Various reconstructive techniques have been described, but there is no consensus regarding their indication. While these techniques provide results that are not perfect, many of them give a very good aesthetic and functional result, promoting the psychological, social and labour reintegration of these patients. The aim of this article is to describe the indications for which each technique is used, their results and the ideal time when each one should be applied

[Facial paralysis surgery. Current concepts]. / Cirugía de la parálisis facial. Conceptos actuales.

Facial palsy is a relatively common condition, from which most cases recover spontaneously. However, each year, there are 127,000 new cases of irreversible facial paralysis. This condition causes aesthetic, functional and psychologically devastating effects in the patients who suffer it. Various reconstructive techniques have been described, but there is no consensus regarding their indication. While these techniques provide results that are not perfect, many of them give a very good aesthetic and functional result, promoting the psychological, social and labour reintegration of these patients. The aim of this article is to describe the indications for which each technique is used, their results and the ideal time when each one should be applied.

Leiomioma intraorbitario. Caso clínico y revisión de la literatura / Orbital leiomyoma. Case report and review of the literature

Los leiomiomas son lesiones de lento crecimiento originarias del músculo liso. La localización orbitaria solo ha sido descrita en 25 casos. Sus características histológicas y la ausencia de recurrencia tras la resección total apoyan su comportamiento benigno. Presentamos un caso de hemangioleiomioma intraconal en una mujer de 55 años tratado quirúrgicamente mediante craneotomía fronto-orbitaria con resección total y sin recurrencia de la lesión tras 15 meses de seguimiento. Se discuten los hallazgos histológicos y radiológicos, enfatizando en el papel pronóstico de la cirugía

Leiomyoma are slowly growing lesions arising from smooth muscle. Orbital location hasbeen reported in 25 cases. Histological findings and no recurrence after total resectionsupport their benign behaviour. We report an intraconal orbital haemangioleiomyoma ina 55-year-old female treated by total resection through fronto-orbital craniotomy, with norecurrence after 15 months of follow-up. Radiological and pathological features are discussed, emphasising the prognostic role of the surgery

[Orbital leiomyoma. Case report and review of the literature]. / Leiomioma intraorbitario. Caso clínico y revisión de la literatura.

Leiomyoma are slowly growing lesions arising from smooth muscle. Orbital location has been reported in 25 cases. Histological findings and no recurrence after total resection support their benign behaviour. We report an intraconal orbital haemangioleiomyoma in a 55-year-old female treated by total resection through fronto-orbital craniotomy, with no recurrence after 15 months of follow-up. Radiological and pathological features are discussed, emphasising the prognostic role of the surgery.

Surgical treatment of typical peripheral schwannomas: the risk of new postoperative deficits.

BACKGROUND: Although peripheral schwannomas can be resected without postoperative neurological complications, surgeons must anticipate the possibility that new neurological deficits could develop. In order to evaluate the risk of neurological complications in the surgical treatment of these tumours, we performed a retrospective review of cases involving schwannomas in the extremities, as well as an analysis of the related literature. METHOD: We reviewed a combined series of 72 schwannomas from the extremities presenting for surgical excision. Meticulous analysis of the files was undertaken, searching for pre-operative findings that could be more frequent in patients with surgical complications. The incidence, severity, and transitory nature of post-operative complications in our series was observed and compared against the literature. RESULTS: Eleven patients (15.2 %) developed new neurological deficits after surgery: sensory disturbance in seven cases, motor weakness in three, and a single wound hematoma. Most of these complications were temporary. Statistical analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between the presence of complications and both patient age under 50 years (p = 0.02) and tumours greater than 3 cm in greatest diameter (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Although relatively infrequent, the potential for novel post-operative deficits after the surgical treatment of peripheral schwannomas does exist and should be included during pre-operative counseling.

La inervación del disco intervertebral / Innervation of the intervertebral disc

Hasta hace poco la inervación del disco intervertebral fue objeto de debate. La introducción de técnicas de inmunohistoquímica asociadas a anticuerpos específicos y los estudios con trazadores nerviosos retrógrados han permitido conocer mejor la inervación del disco en condiciones normales y patológicas así como las características de las terminaciones y sus patrones de distribución en ambas situaciones. Las controversias que existen acerca de las bases estructurales del dolor discogénico han despertado el interés por conocer la influencia de la inervación en el dolor lumbar de origen discal y sus características. Actualmente sabemos que la neoinervación patológica de las fisuras radiales es un factor importante en la génesis del dolor discogénico dentro de un complejo mecanismo en que están implicados factores neurobioquímicos, inflamatorios y biomecánicos (AU)

Until very recently, intervertebral disc innervation was a subject of considerable debate. Nowadays, the introduction of inmunohistochemical techniques associated to specific antibodies and studies with retrograde tracers in nerves have allowed greater understanding of disc innervation in physiological and pathological conditions and also endings characteristics and their patterns of distribution in both situations. The existing controversies regarding structural basis of discogenic pain, have raised the interest of knowing the influence of innervation in back pain from discal origin and its characteristics. Today, we know that pathologic neoinnervation accompanying radial fissures is an important factor in the genesis of discogenic pain; within a complex mechanism in which other neurobiomechemical, inflammatory and biomechanical factors are involved

[Innervation of the intervertebral disc]. / La inervación del disco intervertebral.

Until very recently, intervertebral disc innervation was a subject of considerable debate. Nowadays, the introduction of inmunohistochemical techniques associated to specific antibodies and studies with retrograde tracers in nerves have allowed greater understanding of disc innervation in physiological and pathological conditions and also endings characteristics and their patterns of distribution in both situations. The existing controversies regarding structural basis of discogenic pain, have raised the interest of knowing the influence of innervation in back pain from discal origin and its characteristics. Today, we know that pathologic neoinnervation accompanying radial fissures is an important factor in the genesis of discogenic pain; within a complex mechanism in which other neurobiomechemical, inflammatory and biomechanical factors are involved.