ABSTRACT
Paralysis of the extensors of the wrist and digits is classified according to the level of the neurologic lesion. Lesions of the cervical spinal cord and of the brachial plexus are discussed in the relevant chapters; here, it is important to emphasize that restoration of wrist extension is a fundamental step in the treatment of extensive paralyses of the hand. This chapter will cover radial nerve paralyses. Fracture of the humerus is the most frequent cause; however, these paralyses may also be the result of nerve compression or of various neurologic diseases.
