Case of the month: The skin wrinkle test: a simple nerve injury test for paediatric and uncooperative patients. Issue 11 (20th October 2006)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tindall, A; Dawood, R; Povlsen, B
• Is Part Of: Emergency medicine journal. Volume 23:Issue 11(2006)
• Page Start: 883
• Page End: 886
• Publication Date: 2006-10-20
• Subjects: Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; 616.02505
• DOI: 10.1136/emj.2005.031377
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-0205

Abstract

Abstract : Assessment of the distal neurological status after injuries to the hand and fingers is one of the most frequent parts of standard trauma practice. Two-point discrimination as clinical examination is often sufficient to identify such lesions, but difficulties occur in the comatose, young or otherwise uncooperative patient. This article describes a simple pain-free alternative method of assessing digital nerve integrity by submerging the finger tip in water and observing if wrinkles develop on the skin.