Which term describes a nerve injury that is a complete transection requiring surgical repair?

Which term describes a nerve injury that is a complete transection requiring surgical repair?

• A. Neurotmesis
• B. Axonotmesis
• C. Neuropraxia
• D. Neurapraxia

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how nerve injuries are graded by severity and how that guides treatment. A complete transection with loss of continuity of the nerve fibers and their protective coverings is called neurotmesis. In this level, the axons are severed and the connective tissue framework is disrupted, often with a gap between ends, so there is no natural path for regrowth. Because of that, spontaneous recovery is unlikely and surgical repair is required to realign and reconnect the nerve, often using end-to-end repair or nerve grafting to restore function. In contrast, axonotmesis involves disruption of the axon with preservation of the surrounding connective tissue scaffolding. Distal to the injury there is Wallerian degeneration, but regenerating axons can grow along intact endoneurial tubes to their targets, so recovery is possible without immediate surgical repair (though it may take a long time and isn’t guaranteed). Neuropraxia (and the variant spelling neurapraxia) is a temporary conduction block with preserved axons and connective tissue; function typically returns as the block resolves, usually within days to weeks. So, for a nerve injury described as a complete transection that requires surgical repair, neurotmesis is the correct term.

The key idea here is how nerve injuries are graded by severity and how that guides treatment. A complete transection with loss of continuity of the nerve fibers and their protective coverings is called neurotmesis. In this level, the axons are severed and the connective tissue framework is disrupted, often with a gap between ends, so there is no natural path for regrowth. Because of that, spontaneous recovery is unlikely and surgical repair is required to realign and reconnect the nerve, often using end-to-end repair or nerve grafting to restore function.

In contrast, axonotmesis involves disruption of the axon with preservation of the surrounding connective tissue scaffolding. Distal to the injury there is Wallerian degeneration, but regenerating axons can grow along intact endoneurial tubes to their targets, so recovery is possible without immediate surgical repair (though it may take a long time and isn’t guaranteed).

Neuropraxia (and the variant spelling neurapraxia) is a temporary conduction block with preserved axons and connective tissue; function typically returns as the block resolves, usually within days to weeks.

So, for a nerve injury described as a complete transection that requires surgical repair, neurotmesis is the correct term.