Determination of median, ulnar, and radial nerve innervation patterns

Abstract

Purpose: Peripheral nerves show differences in histological, morphological and physiological characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the motor, sensory and autonomic differences of median, ulnar and radial nerves clinically. Material and method: Twenty-seven patients with 11 median, nine ulnar and seven radial nerve axonotmesis type lesion located at 1/3 distal forearm participated in the study. Autonomic (transepidermal water loss, skin elasticity, temperature, and moisture), sensory (Semmes Weinstein monofilament test, twopoint discrimination, pain threshold, and tolerance) and motor (rheobase, chronaxy, and faradic test) assessments were applied to affected and unaffected extremities. Autonomic, sensory and
motor assessments were performed by different physiotherapists. Results: In the unaffected side, a decreased transepidermal water loss and pain threshold and an increased rheobase and
faradic test values in radial nerve were found (p<0.05). On the lesion side, decreased skin elasticity and transepidermal water loss and increased rheobase were found in radial nerve (p<0.05). Conclusion: Radial nerve differs from median and ulnar nerves in terms of motor, sensory and autonomic functions. Recovery pattern of radial nerve may differ from median and
ulnar nerve. 

Keywords

• Median nerve
• Radial nerve
• Ulnar nerve
• Electric stimulation

Median, ulnar ve radial sinirin inervasyon paternlerinin belirlenmesi

Öz

Amaç: Periferik sinirler histolojik, morfolojik ve fizyolojik yönden farklı özellikler gösterirler. Bu çalışmada, median, ulnar ve radial sinirin motor, duyu ve otonomik fonksiyonları arasındaki farkların belirlenmesi amaçlandı. Gereç ve yöntem: Çalışmaya önkol 1/3 distal seviyesinde aksonotmezis tip lezyonu olan, 11 median, 9 ulnar ve 7 radial sinir yaralanmalı 27 hasta alındı. Hastaların sağlam ve lezyon tarafına otonomik (transepidermal su kaybı, deri esnekliği, temparatürü ve nemi), duyu (Semmes Weinstein monofilament testi, iki nokta ayırımı, ağrı eşiği ve toleransı) ve motor (reobaz, kronaksi ve faradik test) ölçümler yapıldı. Otonomik, duyu ve motor değerlendirmeler farklı bir fizyoterapist tarafından uygulandı. Sonuçlar: Sağlam tarafta radial sinirin transepidermal su kaybı ve ağrı eşiğinde azalma, reobaz ve faradik test değerlerinde artış bulundu (p

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Median sinir
• Radial sinir
• Ulnar sinir
• Elektrik stimulasyonu

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