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Table 1 Operating design for upper limb severing injury patients

From: Nerve merging repair in the replantation of a severed limb with defects in multiple nerves: five cases and long-term follow-up

Case

Point of severing

Initial trauma

Transplantation materials

Coaptation

Laying aside

Surgical plan

Principles of selection

Case 1

Upper arm

RN, MN, UN avulsed near brachial plexus, and RN cannot undergo self–repair

UN

MN, RN

UN

M–(M + R)

l horse–tail–like avulsion of RN, or RN avulsed at very proximal level

l Balance between extensor and flexor

l Sacrifice UN

Case 2

Elbow

RN, MN avulsed below the middle of the upper arm, UN avulsed more proximal

UN

MN, UN

M–(M + U)

l Select the thicker proximal nerve

l Select the relatively intact proximal nerves

l Repair all the distal nerves

Case 3

Upper arm

UN

MN, UN

M–(M + U)

Case 4

Upper arm

RN, UN avulsed below the middle of the upper arm, MN avulsed more proximal

MN

UN, MN

U–(U + M)

Case 5

Upper arm

MN

UN, MN

U–(U + M)