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This paper reports the results of treatment by proximal relocation of 104 painful nerves in 57 digits in 48 patients. These included 86 digital nerves and 18 terminal branches of the superficial radial nerve and the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve. Eighty-three were end-neuromas and 14 were neuromas-in-continuity, of which nine followed nerve repair and five occurred following a closed crush injury. Seven were painful as a result of tethering in scarred tissue. Eighty nerves (77%) required a single relocation and 24 (23%) required more than one operation. Ninety-eight per cent of nerve relocations achieved complete pain relief at the primary site. One patient had mild pain on pressure at the primary site after relocation of two nerves from this site. Over 90% of the nerves had no spontaneous pain, pain on movement or hypersensitivity of the overlying skin at the final site of relocation. However, the incidence of mild or no pain on direct pressure at the site of nerve relocation was lower at 83% as relocated nerves, although traumatized less often at the sites chosen for relocation, can still be painful on direct pressure.

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Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), a bacterial storage product, is available as bioabsorbable sheets and has been used in this study for primary nerve repair. The aim was to assess axonal regeneration following such repair and determine the inflammatory response to PHB. In 20 adult cats, the transected superficial radial nerve was wrapped in PHB sheets, while primary epineural repair was carried out in the contralateral limb. At 6 and 12 months, the repair sites were assessed immunohistochemically for macrophage infiltration and myelinated axons were counted in the distal nerve. Mean macrophage counts across the whole width of the nerve in both groups at 6 and 12 months showed no statistically significant difference. Nor was there any significant difference between the two groups at both time-points in axon counts, axon diameter, myelin thickness and g-ratio. There was a statistically significant increase in fibre diameters at 12 months, indicating that fibres were undergoing continuous maturation.

IntroductionThe introduction of biological and synthetic meshes has revolutionised the practice of implant-based breast reconstruction (IBBR) but evidence for effectiveness is lacking. The iBRA (implant Breast Reconstruction evAluation) study is a national trainee-led project that aims to explore the practice and outcomes of IBBR to inform the design of a future trial. We report the results of the iBRA National Practice Questionnaire (NPQ) which aimed to comprehensively describe the provision and practice of IBBR across the UK.MethodsA questionnaire investigating local practice and service provision of IBBR developed by the iBRA Steering Group was completed by trainee and consultant leads at breast and plastic surgical units across the UK. Summary data for each survey item were calculated and variation between centres and overall provision of care examined.Results81 units within 79 NHS-hospitals completed the questionnaire. Units offered a range of reconstructive techniques, with IBBR accounting for 70% (IQR:50–80%) of participating units' immediate procedures. Units on average were staffed by 2.5 breast surgeons (IQR:2.0–3.0) and 2.0 plastic surgeons (IQR:1.0–3.0) performing 35 IBBR cases per year (IQR:20-50). Variation was demonstrated in the provision of novel different techniques for IBBR especially the use of biological (n = 62) and synthetic (n = 25) meshes and in patient selection for these procedures.ConclusionsThe iBRA-NPQ has demonstrated marked variation in the provision and practice of IBBR in the UK. The prospective audit phase of the iBRA study will determine the safety and effectiveness of different approaches to IBBR and allow evidence-based best practice to be explored.