Neurographic course Of Wallerian degeneration after human peripheral nerve injury

ABSTRACT Introduction Neurographic data on Wallerian degeneration (WD) after motor nerve injury are available only from animal studies and human case reports of 9 patients altogether. A precise knowledge of neurographic features of WD would be highly relevant for diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic, and forensic aspects of traumatic lesions. Methods We prospectively studied WD in patients with a peripheral nerve injury. They underwent sequential neurographic examinations beginning no later than 3 days after the injury until a plateau of the amplitude of compound muscle action potential was reached. Results We examined 20 injured nerves from 16 patients. Four days after injury, all nerves showed amplitude decay to some extent, whereas 85% had reached their plateau at day 8. A length dependency of WD could be demonstrated. Conclusion In humans, WD starts no later than day 4, shows length dependency, and is completed at day 8 in most nerves. Muscle Nerve 56: 247–252, 2017