Background: The present work submits the results of 44 operations in 44 patients who in the course of 15 years, from 1985 to 1999 had treatment of 50 peripheral nerves of the lower extremities - the ischiadic nerve and its branches. In the paper the balic features of surgical treatment are described. Material and methods: From the total number of 44 in 23 patients external neurolysis of 26 nerves was performed. In the remaining 21 patients 21 reconstruction operations of 24 injured nerves were made, whereby 8 operations of 9 nerues inuolued suture of a peripheral nerve and 13 operations of 15 nerues were done by means of a nerve graft in cases of complete and persisting deficit and absence of action potentials on EMG. When determinating the type of surgical intervention the percentage of nervouc action potentials was verv important. The analysis of effectiveness of the surgical intervention depended on the following indicators: period which elapsed lince the injury, the patienťs age, character of injury, type of injured nerve, type of surgical intervention. Results: The best results were observed in operations by means of sutures and those using a nervouc graft. Good and excellent results independent on the type of operation, character, level of injury and the patienťs age were typical for the tibial nerve. Conclusion: Early surgical revision associated with neurolysis or a reconstrnction operation is very important in indicated cases.

        Key words: injury of the nerves of the lower extremities, neurolysis, nerve suture, nervouc graft