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Peripheral Nerve Trauma
- partial or complete severance of a nerve or nerves
- contusion, stretching, constriction or compression of a nerve
- ischemia to nerves
- electrical, thermal or radiation injury to nerves
- after a nerve is damaged the nerve distal to the injury degenerates and retracts within 24 hours
- reinervation is a slow process
- realigned nerves remyelinate and grow, returning to most of former capacity
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Peripheral Nerve Trauma-assessment
- weakness
- burning sensations below trauma
- assess damaged limb by putting through normal ROM exercises
- warm phase: extremity is warm and skin is flushed, lasts 2-3 wks
- cold phase: skin cyanotic, mottled or reddish blue and cool to touch
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Peripheral Nerve Trauma-interventions
- underlying problem addressed first
- immobilize area/traction
- surgery if lacerated or transected
- frequent neurovascular assessment
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