Upper limb motor and sensory recovery after multiple proximal nerve injury in children: a long term review in five patients.

Five children who had sustained multiple proximal upper limb nerve injury were reviewed at 18 months to 3 1/2 years after primary repair had been carried out. The findings show that nerve regeneration occurred significantly more rapidly than in adults, with good return of motor and sensory function to the hand, resulting in each of the patients having a useful, painfree and functionally capable upper limb. In two of the cases, the limb had been completely severed. The findings support the view that primary repair of severed proximal nerves in this age group--even in avulsion type injuries--can give good results.