Title: A Clinical Comparative Study of the Free Vascularized Nerve Graft and Conventional Nerve Graft.
Abstract: After 1983, the authors applied the free vascularized sural nerve graft to clinical cases. Among them, 27 cases were evaluated comparing to 21 cases with conventional nerve grafting of which the several factors except the nerve grafting technique affecting nerve regeneration were constant. In high median, ulnar and radial nerve injury of which the nerve gap was more than 8cm, the final recovery of the free vascularized nerve graft was superior to those of the conventional technique. In axillary nerve (brachial plexus region), low median and radial nerve injuries, and digital nerve injury, the results were almost same as those of the conventional techique. The free vascularized sural nerve is indicated for high median, ulnar and radial nerve injuries with more than 10cm nerve gaft all cases with skin defect.