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J Reconstr Microsurg 1986; 3(1): 33-37
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1007036
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1986 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Peripheral Nerve Injection Injury: An Experimental Pilot Study of Treatment Modalities

Batia Yaffe, Sara Pri-Chen, Eran Lin, Joel Engel, Michaela Modan
  • The A.Z. Cohen Microsurgery Laboratory and Hand Surgery Unit, and the Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
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Publication History

Accepted for publication 1986

Publication Date:
08 March 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

The accidental injection of various drugs into peripheral nerves has serious medical complications and medicolegal implications. The most neurotoxic substances of 11 agents tested in a previous study were penicillin G, diazepam, and chlorpromazine. The appropriate management of such an injury has not been well-established.

In an attempt to define the proper treatment in accidental peripheral nerve injection, an experimental study was carried out, in which 70 sciatic nerves of rats were injected intrafascicularly with penicillin G and treated by neurolysis, neurolysis and Celestone irrigation (betamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid), and neurolysis and saline irrigation. The degree of damage was evaluated histologically after two weeks.

Statistical analysis of the results showed that neurolysis performed at 24 hours after the injury lessened the damage to the peripheral nerve. No additional improvement was found when, in addition to neurolysis, the nerves were irrigated with Celestone or saline solutions.