▁If ▁a ▁large ▁segment ▁of ▁n erve ▁is ▁har med , ▁as ▁can ▁happen ▁in ▁a ▁cr ush ▁or ▁stretch ▁injury , ▁the ▁n erve ▁will ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁exposed ▁over ▁a ▁larger ▁area . ▁In j ured ▁port ions ▁of ▁the ▁n erve ▁are ▁removed . ▁The ▁cut ▁n erve ▁end ings ▁are ▁then ▁carefully ▁re appro xim ated ▁using ▁very ▁small ▁s ut ures . ▁The ▁n erve ▁repair ▁must ▁be ▁covered ▁by ▁health y ▁t issue , ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁as ▁simple ▁as ▁closing ▁the ▁skin ▁or ▁it ▁can ▁require ▁moving ▁skin ▁or ▁mus cle ▁to ▁provide ▁health y ▁p added ▁coverage ▁over ▁the ▁n erve . ▁The ▁type ▁of ▁an est hes ia ▁used ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁complexity ▁of ▁the ▁injury . ▁A ▁surg ical ▁tour ni quet ▁is ▁almost ▁always ▁used . ▁ ▁Pro gn osis ▁ ▁The ▁expect ations ▁after ▁surg ical ▁repair ▁of ▁a ▁divided ▁peri pher al ▁n erve ▁depends ▁on ▁several ▁factors : ▁ ▁Age : ▁Rec overy ▁of ▁a ▁n erve ▁after ▁surg ical ▁repair ▁depends ▁mainly ▁on ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁the ▁patient . ▁Young ▁children ▁can ▁recover ▁close - to - normal ▁n erve ▁function . ▁In ▁contrast , ▁a ▁patient ▁over ▁ 6 0 ▁years ▁old ▁with ▁a ▁cut ▁n erve ▁in ▁the ▁hand ▁would ▁expect ▁to ▁recover ▁only ▁protect ive ▁sens ation ; ▁that ▁is , ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁distinguish ▁hot / c old ▁or ▁sharp / d ull . ▁The ▁mechanism ▁of ▁injury : ▁Sh arp ▁inj uries ,