Neuropraxia is the mildest form of traumatic peripheral nerve injury. It is characterized by focal segmental demyelination at the site of injury without disruption of axon continuity and its surrounding connective tissues. This condition results in blockage of nerve conduction and transient weakness or paresthesia. Complete recovery is the expectation upon spontaneous remyelination—peripheral nerve injury (PNI) organizes into five categories that clinicians use today. Sunderland stratified and expanded Seddon's (1943) classification into Grade I, refers focal segmental demyelination; Grade II refers to damaged axon with intact endoneurium; Grade III refers to damaged axon and endoneurium with intact perineurium; Grade IV refers to the damaged axon, endoneurium, and perineurium with intact epineurium; and Grade V refers to complete transection (Table 1). Some authors also describe a sixth-degree peripheral nerve injury, which refers to the mixed pathology of injury.
Neuropraxia, and PNI in general, can be secondary to trauma from sports, accidents, or improper positioning. Injury to nerves results in motor or sensory loss, pain, or a combination of these, leading to significant morbidity or functional impairment.
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