[Skin temperature and the hot water test in the diagnosis of injuries to the median, ulnar and tibial nerves].

In 289 patients with a complete anatomical interruption of the median, ulnar and tibial nerves from 1 month to 2 years following the trauma the author determined the skin temperature in the autonomous zone and in the one of a maximum drop of sensibility. Anesthesia, a temperature drop on the average from 1.4 +/- 0.5--2.2 +/-0.5 degrees C, the absence of skin folds and a pinck color in thermal tests clarify the diagnosis of a complete anatomical interruption of the median or ulnar nerve. In lesions of both nerves, especially in combination with lesions of the arteries, the skin temperature is lower than that in an isolated damage of one of the neves. In most of the patients with an interruption of the tibial nerve the skin temperature in the autonomous zone is higher and there are no skin folds in the autonomous zones in thermal tests. Skin temperature measurements and thermal tests are simple objective methods in the diagnosis of nerve lesions.