The purpose of this study was to investigate general clinical characteristics of iatrogenic peripheral nerve injuries and to help clinicians to understand and minimize the occurrence of these avoidable events. Retrospective chart and electrodiagnostic report were reviewed in 1,085 patients who had been examined from January 1987 to June 1995 due to traumatic peripheral nerve lesion.

The cause of peripheral nerve injuries was iatrogenic in 84 patients among 1,085 patients(7.74%) and the number of injured nerves was one in 72(85.7%) patients, two in 10(11.9%), and three in 2(2.4%) patients. The total number of injured nerves was 98 and 18 nerves were complete lesion on initial electrodiagnostic study.

Brachial plexus was the most common injured nerve, which was injured in 18(18.4 %) cases, mainly due to birth trauma. The other injured nerves were ulnar nerve in 12(12.3%) cases, sciatic nerve in 10(10.2%), facial nerve in 8(8.2%) and many other various nerves.

The most common etiology was operation, which was associated in 49(58.3%) patients, and the other etiologies were birth trauma, compression or traction, injection and radiation therapy.

The operations directly associated with iatrogenic nerve injuries were neck mass excision including lymph node biopsy in 8(16.3%) patients, total hip replacement in 4, brain tumor operation in 4, and other various minor and major operations.

All of the patients except 4 were treated conservatively.

From the results above, clinicians are expected to be informed with iatrogenic peripheral nerve injuries and to try to prevent these complications.