Vein-graft wrapping for the treatment of recurrent compression of the median nerve.

Recurrent compressive neuropathy of the median nerve due to cicatrix is an extremely challenging clinical problem. Available treatment techniques are difficult and results uncertain. Early experience with the autogenous vein graft wrapping technique has shown great promise for the treatment of chronic compressive neuropathy after other procedures have failed. We report on 3 patients with average follow-up of 2 years. Postoperatively, all the patients had significant improvement on electromyograms, and the findings of both subjective and objective assessments were excellent or good for 2 patients. The procedure is simple; the donor is readily available; no complications were noted in the donor area, and the graft tissue has good compatibility. This technique can also be applied for chronic compression of any peripheral nerve.