This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Uzun, N. Articles by Kiziltan, M. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Uzun, N. Articles by Kiziltan, M. E. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Disaster Preparation and Recovery Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Electrophysiologic Evaluation of Peripheral Nerve Injuries in Children Following the Marmara Earthquake

Department of Neurology, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey, tadatepe{at}ttnet.net.tr

Feray Karaali Savrun, MD

Department of Neurology, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey

Meral Erdemir Kiziltan, MD

Department of Neurology, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical, demographic, and electromyographic (EMG) characteristics of 12 earthquake victims in the pediatric age group and to compare the findings with those of the adult group. Following the 1999 Marmara earthquake, 75 subjects with suspected peripheral nerve injury were referred to our EMG laboratory for evaluation. In the pediatric age group, five patients had a history of short-term temporary trauma and seven had a history of being trapped under the debris for 4 to 10 hours and sustaining long-term trauma. Five patients had developed compartment syndrome and one had developed crush syndrome. The EMG examinations revealed peripheral nerve injury findings in all patients. The brachial plexus was damaged in 2 patients, and 19 peripheral nerves were damaged in 10 patients. Peroneal and posterior tibial nerves were predominantly affected. Regeneration was detected in all of the patients with brachial plexus damage at a mean follow-up of 3.5 months and in 62.5% of patients with peripheral nerve damage at a mean follow-up of 7.7 months. Being buried under the debris, compartment syndrome, peripheral nerve injuries in the lower extremities, and total axonal damage in the first EMG examinations were found to be higher in the pediatric age group. Regeneration findings were found at similar rates in both groups, with the brachial plexus being the most favorable. When it is considered that the regeneration process lasts 15 to 18 months and EMG findings mostly show pathologies in the form of neuropraxia and axonotmesis, we think that the prognosis of our patients will be good. (J Child Neurol 2005;20:207—212).

Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 20, No. 3, 207-212 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/08830738050200030701


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?