Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Axonotmesis
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Axonotmesis is part of Seddon’s classification scheme used to classify nerve damage.It is a more severe nerve injury with disruption of the neuronal axon, but with maintenance of the myelin sheath. This type of nerve damage may cause paralysis of the motor, sensory, and autonomic. If the force creating the nerve damage is removed in a timely fashion, the axon may regenerate, leading to recovery. Electrically, the nerve shows rapid and complete degeneration, with loss of voluntary motor units. Regeneration of the motor end plates will occur, as long as the endoneural tubules are intact.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]