Your Patient Describes Total Numbness in the Tips of the Index

Multiple Choice

Your patient describes total numbness in the tips of the index and middle fingers that has been there for 2 months.Four months ago, he sustained a Colles' fracture.While immobilized in a cast, he had experienced periods of intermittent numbness and pain.You observe atrophy in the thenar eminence and ape hand deformity.This patient most likely sustained:

A) Mild compression of the median nerve and has excellent prognosis for full recovery.
B) Laceration of the median nerve with complete interruption; there is no chance of neurological recovery.
C) Chronic compression of the median nerve; there is a guarded prognosis; may require surgical intervention.
D) A stretch injury to the median nerve with adhesions preventing normal mobility; gentle nerve mobilization should alleviate the symptoms.