II. Pathophysiology
- Radial Nerve tracks follows the spiral groove down the medial Humerus
III. Causes
- Mid-shaft Humerus Fracture
- Direct injury to the Radial Nerve as it lies in spiral groove
- Does not typically affect elbow extension (triceps)
- Axilla compression (Saturday Night Palsy, Crutch Palsy)
- Falling asleep with arm over the back of a chair or bench, often inebriated (Saturday Night Palsy)
- Results in loss of elbow extension (triceps) and a Wrist Drop
- Honeymooner's Wrist Drop
- Shoulder and upper arm compressed under the arm/body of their partner resulting in local compression
IV. Signs
- Weak elbow extension
- Occurs if Radial Nerve injury at the axilla
- Wrist Drop
- Weak wrist and digit extensors
- Sensory loss
- Dorsal hand numbness (including lateral 3.5 digits)
V. Management
- Avoid repeat compression
- Physical Therapy
- Highly effective after 6 months
- Cock-Up Wrist Splint
- Maintains normal hand function when Wrist Drop present
- Surgery indications
- Humerus Fracture with Radial Nerve compromise
VI. References
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Related Studies
| Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
| MSH | D020425 |
| SnomedCT | 14786003 |
| Czech | obrna sobotní noci |
| Portuguese | Paralisia de Sábado à Noite |
| Spanish | Parálisis de Sábado por la Noche, parálisis de la noche del sábado (trastorno), parálisis de la noche del sábado |
| French | Paralysie du samedi soir, Paralysie des amoureux |
| German | Parkbanklähmung |
| English | Saturday night palsy (diagnosis), Saturday Night Palsies, saturday night palsy, Saturday night paralysis, Saturday night palsy, Saturday night paralysis (disorder), Saturday Night Palsy |
| Norwegian | Lørdagskveldslammelse |
| Italian | Paralisi del sabato sera |
| Dutch | Zaterdagavondverlamming |
Ontology: Radial nerve compression (C0393888)
| Concepts | Injury or Poisoning (T037) |
| SnomedCT | 230634001 |
| English | radial nerve compression, compression nerve radial, Radial nerve compression, Radial nerve compression (disorder) |
| Czech | Komprese nervus radialis |
| Dutch | spaakbeenspier compressie |
| French | Compression du nerf radial |
| German | Kompression des Nervus radialis |
| Hungarian | Nervus radialis compressio |
| Italian | Compressione del nervo radiale |
| Spanish | Compresión del nervio radial, compresión del nervio radial (trastorno), compresión del nervio radial |
| Japanese | ﾄｳｺﾂｼﾝｹｲｱｯﾊﾟｸ, 橈骨神経圧迫 |
| Portuguese | Compressão do nervo radial |
Ontology: Radial Neuropathy (C0748226)
| Definition (MSH) | Disease involving the RADIAL NERVE. Clinical features include weakness of elbow extension, elbow flexion, supination of the forearm, wrist and finger extension, and thumb abduction. Sensation may be impaired over regions of the dorsal forearm. Common sites of compression or traumatic injury include the AXILLA and radial groove of the HUMERUS. |
| Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
| MSH | D020425 |
| SnomedCT | 16644004 |
| English | Radial Neuropathy, RADIAL NERVE DIS, Nerve Disease, Radial, Nerve Diseases, Radial, Radial Nerve Disease, Radial Nerve Diseases, Neuropathies, Radial, Neuropathy, Radial, Radial Neuropathies, Radial Neuropathy [Disease/Finding], Radial neuropathy (finding), Radial neuropathy (disorder), Radial neuropathy |
| Swedish | Radialisneuropati |
| Czech | nervus radialis - neuropatie |
| Finnish | Värttinähermon neuropatia |
| German | Nervus radialis-Krankheiten, Nervus-radialis-Neuropathie, Neuropathie, Nervus radialis |
| Russian | LUCHEVOGO NERVA NEVROPATIIA, ЛУЧЕВОГО НЕРВА НЕВРОПАТИЯ |
| Japanese | 松葉づえ麻痺, 橈骨神経麻痺, 土曜夜麻痺, 筋ラセン神経麻痺, 橈骨神経障害 |
| Spanish | neuropatía radial (hallazgo), neuropatía radial (trastorno), neuropatía radial, Neuropatía Radial |
| Polish | Porażenie sobotniej nocy, Neuropatia nerwu promieniowego, Neuropatia promieniowa |
| Norwegian | Sykdommer i nervus radialis, Radialisnevropati |
| French | Neuropathie du nerf radial, Atteinte du nerf radial |
| Italian | Neuropatia del nervo radiale |
| Dutch | Nervus-radialisneuropathie, Neuropathie, nervus-radialis- |
| Portuguese | Neuropatia Radial |
Ontology: Radial nerve palsy (C1306600)
| Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
| SnomedCT | 16644004 |
| English | RADIAL NERVE PALSY, Radial nerve palsy, radial nerve palsy (diagnosis), nerve palsy radial, radial nerve palsy |
| Italian | Paralisi del nervo radiale |
| Japanese | 橈骨神経麻痺, ﾄｳｺﾂｼﾝｹｲﾏﾋ |
| German | LAEHMUNG NERVUS RADIALIS, Radialislaehmung |
| Portuguese | PARALISIA DO NERVO RADIAL, Paralisia do nervo radial |
| Spanish | PARALISIS NERVIO RADIAL, Parálisis del nervio radial |
| French | PARALYSIE DU NERF RADIAL, Paralysie du nerf radial |
| Czech | Obrna nervus radialis |
| Hungarian | Nervus radialis paresis |
| Dutch | radiale zenuwverlamming |
