• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.100-105
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• 1994

This is a study of decrease in both stump pain and unidentified complaints after removal of neuroma on an amputated left thigh. The patient was a 44 year old woman who received an operation after a motorcycle accident 20th of March, 1991. She started a rehabilitation program in early June of the same year. How ever the patient complained of a squeezing pain on the amputated area. This symptom became more severe after the removal of the nails in September. The pain was perceived as a mental problem and the patient was released from the previous hospital. The pain continued and on the 9th of March, 1992, the patient was introduced to our pain clinic. The patient complained about the cold sensation and pressure pain of the amputated area at the beginning. Later she also expressed various unidentified complaints. No improvement resulted after conducting an epidural block and a lumbar sympathetic ganglion block. MMPI test showed psychological instability. Local injection showed some positive effects, which led to considerations concerning the possibility of neuroma. After confirming the existence of neuroma through CT and MRI, neuromectomy was performed. After the removal of neuroma, the unidentified complaints as well as the stump pain decreased.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.137-146
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• 1996

There has been no general agreement about optimal time for nerve surgery in the closed brachial plexus injury(BPI). From our early experiences, we knew by chance that spontaneous recovery in BPI patients may begin even later than 8 months after injury. Authors' strategy, which was based on our early experiences, for the treatment of closed fresh injury was 'wait and see' unlit 8 months after injury. From 1985 to 1994, we observed 103 patients with BPI. All of them did not have any operation until 8 months after injury. There were 95 men and 8 women with a mean age of 29 years. Motorcycle injury(31%) and vehicle accident(28%) were main causes of injury. Whole plexus types were observed in 56 patients(54%), upper plexus types in 29(28%), lower plexus types in 3(3%), and infraclavicular types in 15(15%). Electromyography was performed in all patients. This was repeated every three months to detect the recovery. Results were evaluated by authors' criteria, in which AMA system of brachial plexus impairment was modified. Duration of follow up was average 25 months. 47 patients(46%) showed spontaneous improvement, which was initially detected at average 7.8 months(range,3 months-16 months) after trauma by electromyography. The average score of these 47 patients improved from 14.8 points to 39.8 points.31 patients(30%) had nerve surgery such as nerve graft, neurotization or neurolysis. Average duration from injury to nerve surgery, was 10 months. Among 31 patients who had nerve surgery, 16 patients improved from preoperative 21.5 points to postoperative 36.3 points in average. Because spontaneous recovery began in average 7.8 months after injury, we think that it would be better to 'wait and see' for at least one year in patients with closed BPI expecting spontaneous recovery.