Digital Nerve Grafting Using the Dorsal Sensory Branch of the Ulnar Nerve

Abstract

The dorsal sensory branch of the ulnar nerve has been found to have the appropriate size and sufficient length for use as a digital nerve graft. This donor nerve was utilised fifteen times in twelve patients for the bridging of defects in thirteen digital nerves of the fingers. After an average follow-up of 23.2 months, only one patient failed to achieve any two point discrimination in the area supplied by the involved digital nerve. The other eleven patients had an average two point discrimination of 9.5 mm with a range of 5 to 18 mm. Painful neuroma formation or loss of hand function related to the use of the dorsal sensory branch of the ulnar nerve as a donor for digital nerve grafts was not encountered.