Peripheral nerve pathology in the pediatric population can result in significant long-term morbidity and functional disability. The incidence of upper extremity nerve palsy after supracondylar fracture is 12-20% and less common in both bone forearm fractures in children. The majority of these palsies resolve without intervention. Standard of care for non-penetrating nerve injury is intervention when symptoms fail to improve by 3 months. Preoperative imaging guides surgical management. For example, nerve entrapments can be released; however, nerve grafts may be required for high grade injuries including neuroma-in-continuity or transection. MR neurography is challenging for median, ulnar, and radial nerves. Small nerve size necessitates long scan duration sometimes requiring sedation. Ultrasound is emerging as an excellent modality for problem-solving in persistent post-traumatic palsies because of its high resolution, dynamic imaging which can be performed quickly and without sedation. We describe applications of ultrasound in localization of nerve injuries and sonographic characteristics of various peripheral nerve pathology. Read More

Meeting name: SPR 2022 Annual Meeting & Postgraduate Course , 2022

Authors: Pelissier Lindsey, Milks Kathryn

Keywords: non-penetrating