Epidemiology of Traumatic Peripheral Nerve Injuries Evaluated by Electrodiagnostic Studies in a Tertiary Care Hospital Clinic.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the etiology and frequency of traumatic peripheral nerve injuries (TPNI) in the electrodiagnostic laboratory of a tertiary care hospital.

METHODS: The charts of patients who underwent an electrodiagnostic study for a TPNI were revised. The main outcome measure was the frequency of each injury by anatomic location, involved nerve, mechanism, and severity.

RESULTS: 146 charts were included for a total of 163 injured nerves; 109 (74.7%) males and 37 (25.3%) females. The mean age was 33.6 years. The facial nerve and the brachial plexus followed by the ulnar nerve were more frequently involved. The ulnar, sciatic, median, radial nerve, and the lumbosacral plexus were more commonly injured by gunshot wounds, the brachial plexus by motor vehicle accidents, and the facial nerve by iatrogenic causes. The majority of the injuries were incomplete or partial (84.2% were incomplete and 15.8% complete injuries).

CONCLUSIONS: TPNIs can lead to significant disability, but further investigation is needed to better understand their socio-economic impact.