Which of the following is most commonly used donor nerve in nerve grafting and why? 1. Posterior interosseus nerve 2. Great auricular nerve 3. Sural nerve 4. Musculocutaneous nerve
Sural nerve due to the amount of attainable nerve material available during harvest
A nerve graft is a surgical technique in which a segment of unrelated nerve is used to replace or bridge an injured portion of nerve. The donor nerve serves as a âtrackâ along which axons (appendages of neurons, which transmit impulses from the spinal cord to the muscle) can grow down to the target area.
Common examples of nerves that are used for grafts include the sural nerve in the leg, which provides sensation to the side of the foot, and the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve, which provides sensation to the inner aspect of the arm. The sural nerve runs down the back of the leg from behind the knee to the outside of the foot. The procedure to take this nerve leaves a scar in the back of the patientâs leg with numbness to the outside of the foot.
