taugamótsskurðinn

Taugamótsskurðurinn, or nerve anastomosis surgery, is a microsurgical procedure performed to restore nerve continuity after peripheral nerve injury. It aims to reestablish electrical signaling between proximal and distal nerve stumps, enabling potential recovery of motor and sensory function.

Indications include clean-cut nerve injuries, crush injuries with severed ends, or nerve gaps where direct end-to-end repair is possible; for gaps, nerve autograft or allograft, synthetic conduits, or nerve transfers may be used. The procedure is performed by a microsurgeon in a specialized operating theatre using magnification, fine sutures, and sometimes fibrin glue.

Outcomes vary; success depends on the length of the regenerating distance, time elapsed since injury, the health of the target muscles, and patient age. Reinnervation typically takes months to years. Some function may be recovered; full restoration is not guaranteed. In some cases, procedures are combined with tendon or muscle transfers to improve function.

Recovery involves immobilization initially, followed by structured rehabilitation to promote motor relearning and sensory retraining. Risks include infection, neuroma formation, scar tissue, mismatched reinnervation, neuropathic pain, and graft failure.

History: The development of microsurgical nerve repair advanced in the 1950s–1960s, enabling more precise neurorrhaphy and grafting techniques.