Electrodiagnostic Findings in Upper Limb Traumatic Nerve Injuries: A Pattern-Based Analysis at Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital

Abstract

Peripheral nerve injury is a serious and significantly disabling disorder that affects the daily life of patients as well as their quality of life. Reaching an accurate injury classification helps to find the optimal treatment, which in turn leads to a reduction of disabilities and, in many cases, regaining functionality. This study aims to characterize the electrodiagnostic findings in patients with traumatic peripheral nerve injuries of the upper limbs presenting to Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital in Baghdad. A total of 50 adult patients, with (40) men and (10) women; mean age (39.8± 11 years), with a total of (55) peripheral nerve injuries (duration of 3 months to 20 years). NCS and EMG were done for all patients. Axonotmesis or partial nerve injury was diagnosed in 45 (81.8%) nerves, neurotmesis or complete nerve injury in 2 (3.6%), and intact nerves were found in 8 (14.5%). Electrodiagnostic studies showed important informative details regarding traumatic peripheral nerve injuries. A pattern-based analysis of CMAPs, SNAPs and EMG findings can reliably differentiate between injury groups and thus lead to the optimum choice of management. To our knowledge, this is the first study to introduce a pattern-based EDX approach to traumatic upper limb nerve injuries in an Iraqi population, highlighting its importance for both clinical decision and regional epidemiological data.