Injuries to Radial Nerve at Wrist

THIS STUDY of injuries to the sensory branch of the radial nerve at the wrist was undertaken as a result of experience with a patient who had an inordinate amount of pain and prolonged disability from what would seem to have been a minor injury to the wrist. That injury to the sensory branches of the superficial radial nerve may result in painful neuromas during release of stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist is well known.1-9Keon-Cohen6quoted de Quervain as saying, "Care must be taken not to damage the sensitive branches of the radial nerve which run across this area towards the dorsum." It also has been pointed out that a longitudinal incision over the radial aspect of the wrist not only fails to protect the radial nerve but also produces a scar that is at right angles to the flexion creases of