Peripheral nerve injury
Principles
- I will follow the BOAST guideline
- Document the examination findings
- If the laceration is near a nerve, urgent advice of a surgeon treating such injury should be sought
- Asso with #/D, reduce and stabilise and reassess
- Explore nerve when internal fixation is done when also with nerve injury (except axillary n and LS plexus
- Nerve damage during surgery: urgent repair(if unfamiliar, oppose with coloured suture and discuss)
Following surgery:
- loosen all bandages and plaster, discuss
- If painful: explore urgently
- Pain and progressive loss of sensation is sign of ischemia
- NCS is rarely needed in acute injury
- Discuss B plexus injury with specialist with in 3 days
Written/reviewed by Kishore Puthezhath
Professor of Orthopaedics and Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon
FRCS (Tr & Orth) revision resource
Reviewed: September 2026