Iatrogenic nerve injuries

Abstract

As long as humans have been medically treated, unfortunate cases of inadvertent injury to nerves afflicted by the therapist have occurred. Most microsurgically treated iatrogenic nerve injuries occur directly during an operation. Certain nerves are at a higher risk than others, and certain procedures and regions of the body are more prone to sustaining nerve injury. A high degree of insecurity regarding the proper measures to take can be observed among medical practitioners. A major limiting factor in successful treatment is delayed referral for evaluation and reconstructive surgery. This article on iatrogenic nerve injuries intends to focus on relevant aspects of management from a nerve surgeon's perspective.