Intercostal Nerve Transfers to the Musculocutaneous–A Reliable Nerve Transfer for Restoration of Elbow Flexion in Birth-Related Brachial Plexus Injuries (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 2014
Background: Nerve transfers using ulnar and/or median nerve fascicles to restore elbow flexion have been widely used following traumatic brachial plexus injury, but their utility following neonatal brachial plexus palsy remains unclear. The present multicenter study tested the hypothesis that these transfers can restore elbow flexion and supination in infants with neonatal brachial plexus palsy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the cases of thirty-one patients at three institutions who had undergone ulnar and/or median nerve fascicle transfer to the biceps and/or brachialis branches of the musculocutaneous nerve after neonatal brachial plexus palsy. The primary outcome measures were postoperative elbow flexion and supination as measured with the Active Movement Scale (AMS). Patients were followed for at least eighteen months postoperatively unless they obtained full elbow flexion or supination (AMS = 7) prior to eighteen months of follow-up. Results: Twenty-seven (87%) of the thirty-one patients obtained functional elbow flexion (AMS ‡ 6), and twenty-four (77%) obtained full recovery of elbow flexion against gravity (AMS = 7). Of the twenty-four patients for whom recovery of supination was recorded, five (21%) obtained functional recovery. Combined ulnar and median nerve fascicle transfers were performed in five patients and resulted in full recovery of elbow flexion against gravity and supination of AMS ‡ 5 for all five. Singlefascicle transfer was performed in twenty-six patients and resulted in functional flexion in 85% (twenty-two of twenty-six) and functional supination in 15% (three of twenty). Patients with nerve root avulsion were treated at a younger age (p < 0.01), had poorer preoperative elbow flexion (p < 0.01), and recovered greater supination (p < 0.01) compared with patients with dissociative recovery. Younger patients (p < 0.01) and patients with C5-C6 avulsion (p < 0.02) recovered the greatest supination. One patient sustained a transient anterior interosseous nerve palsy after median nerve fascicle transfer. Conclusions: Ulnar and/or median nerve fascicle transfers were able to effectively restore functional elbow flexion in patients with nerve root avulsion, dissociative recovery, or late presentation following neonatal brachial plexus palsy. Recovery of supination was less, with greater success noted in younger patients with nerve root avulsion. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. R eturn of elbow flexion has been used as a sentinel event for recovery of motor function in children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy 1. In children who do not recover upper extremity function, microsurgical brachial plexus exploration and subsequent nerve grafting and/or nerve transfers are performed. When intact upper trunk nerve roots Disclosure: None of the authors received payments or services, either directly or indirectly (i.e., via his or her institution), from a third party in support of any aspect of this work. One or more of the authors, or his or her institution, has had a financial relationship, in the thirty-six months prior to submission of this work, with an entity in the biomedical arena that could be perceived to influence or have the potential to influence what is written in this work. No author has had any other relationships, or has engaged in any other activities, that could be perceived to influence or have the potential to influence what is written in this work. The complete Disclosures of Potential Conflicts of Interest submitted by authors are always provided with the online version of the article.
Reconstruction of Pediatric Brachial Plexus Injuries With Nerve Grafts and Nerve Transfers
The Journal of Hand Surgery, 2014
Purpose To review the demographics and injury patterns in consecutive pediatric patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury presenting to a single center over a 16-year period and to review the outcomes of nerve grafting and nerve transfers for reconstruction of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion in these patients. Methods Forty-five pediatric patients presented for treatment of traumatic Brachial plexus injury from 1996 to 2012. Subgroup analysis of patients who had nerve grafting or nerve transfers for restoration of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion was carried out to compare outcomes of Medical Research Council (MRC) motor grading. Results The mean age of patients was 13.8 years (range, 3e17 y). Panplexal injuries (62%) and upper plexus injuries (16%) were particularly common. There was a very high proportion of preganglionic injuries (91%). Six of the 10 of patients who underwent intraplexal nerve grafting only for restoration of shoulder abduction achieved grade 3 or better power compared with 42% (5/12) of patients who had nerve transfers. When contralateral C7 was used as a donor for nerve transfer in restoration of shoulder abduction, 1 of the 5 patients achieved grade 3 or better shoulder abduction. All 4 patients who had nerve grafts for restoration of elbow flexion achieved grade 3 or better power, compared with 11 of 12 patients who had nerve transfers. There was no statistical difference in outcome (MRC grade 3 or 4) between patients who had nerve grafts and those who had nerve transfers. Conclusions This study shows that nerve grafts can result in similar outcomes (MRC grading) to nerve transfers for restoration of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion in traumatic pediatric BPI. The findings of this study do not support the use of contralateral C7 as a donor for nerve transfer in reconstruction of shoulder abduction in this age group.
Total obstetric brachial plexus palsy: Results and strategy of microsurgical reconstruction
Microsurgery, 2010
From 2000 to 2006, 35 infants with total obstetric brachial plexus palsy underwent brachial plexus exploration and reconstruction. The mean age at surgery was 10.8 months (range 3-60 months), and the median age was 8 months. All infants were followed for at least 2.5 years (range 2.5-7.3 years) with an average follow-up of 4.2 years. Assessment was performed using the Toronto Active Movement scale. Surgical procedures included neurolysis, neuroma excision and interposition nerve grafting and neurotization, using spinal accessory nerve, intercostals and contralateral C7 root. Satisfactory recovery was obtained in 37.1% of cases for shoulder abduction; 54.3% for shoulder external rotation; 75.1% for elbow flexion; 77.1% for elbow extension; 61.1% for finger flexion, 31.4% for wrist extension and 45.8% for fingers extension. Using the Raimondi score, 18 cases (53%) achieved a score of three or more (functional hand). The mean Raimondi score significantly improved postoperatively as compared to the preoperative mean: 2.73 versus 1, and showed negative significant correlation with age at surgery. In total, obstetrical brachial plexus palsy, early intervention is recommended. Intercostal neurotization is preferred for restoration of elbow flexion. Tendon transfer may be required to improve external rotation in selected cases. Apparently, intact C8 and T1 roots should be left alone if the patient has partial hand recovery, no Horner syndrome, and was operated early (3-or 4months old). Apparently, intact nonfunctioning lower roots with no response to electrical stimulation, especially in the presence of Horner syndrome, should be neurotized with the best available intraplexal donor. V
Nerve Root Grafting and Distal Nerve Transfers for C5-C6 Brachial Plexus Injuries
The Journal of Hand Surgery, 2010
Purpose To investigate the results of distal nerve transfer, with and without nerve root grafting, in C5-C6 palsy of the brachial plexus. Methods We prospectively studied 37 young adults with C5-C6 brachial plexus palsy who underwent surgical repair an average of 6.3 months after trauma. In 7 patients, no nerve roots were available for grafting, so reconstruction was achieved by transferring the accessory nerve to the suprascapular nerve, ulnar nerve fascicles to the biceps motor branch, and triceps branches to the axillary nerve (a triple nerve transfer). In 24 patients, C5 nerve root grafting to the anterior division of the upper trunk was combined with triple nerve transfer. In 6 patients, the C5ϩC6 nerve roots were grafted to the anterior and posterior divisions of the upper trunk, the accessory nerve was transferred to the suprascapular nerve, and ulnar nerve fascicles were connected to the biceps motor branch. The range of shoulder abduction/ external rotation recovery and elbow flexion strength were evaluated between 24 and 26 months after surgery. Results Both full abduction and full external rotation of the shoulder were restored in one of the 7 patients in the C5 and C6 nerve root avulsion group, in 14 of 21 patients who received C5 nerve root grafting, and in 2 of 6 patients in the C5ϩC6 nerve root graft group. The average percentages of elbow flexion strength recovery, relative to the normal, contralateral side, were 27%, 43%, and 59% for the C5-C6 nerve root avulsion, C5 nerve root graft, and C5ϩC6 nerve root graft groups, respectively. Conclusions We repaired C5-C6 brachial plexus palsies using a combination of strategies depending on the site of root injury (ie, intradural vs extradural). Patients with injuries that were able to be reconstructed with both root grafting and nerve transfers had the best function. These results suggest that the combined use of nerve transfers and root grafting may enhance outcomes in the reconstruction of C5-C6 injuries of the brachial plexus.
Results of nerve reconstructions in treatment of obstetrical brachial plexus injuries
Acta Neurochirurgica, 2015
Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the results achieved using various surgical techniques in patients with partial and total obstetrical brachial plexus palsy. Methods From 2000 to 2013, 33 patients with obstetrical brachial plexus injury underwent surgery. Twenty had follow-up periods greater than 24 months and met the criteria for inclusion in the study. All patients were evaluated using the Active Movement Scale. Results The outcomes of different nerve reconstructive procedures including nerve transfers, nerve grafting after neuroma resection and end-to-side neurorrhaphy are presented. The overall success rate in upper plexus birth injury was 80 % in shoulder abduction, 50 % in external rotation and 81.8 % in elbow flexion with median follow-ups of 36 months. Success rate in complete paralysis was 87 % in finger and thumb flexion, 87 % in shoulder abduction and 75 % in elbow flexion; the median follow-up was 46 months. Useful reanimation of the hand was obtained in both patients who underwent endto-side neurotization. Conclusion Improved function can be obtained in infants with obstetrical brachial plexus injury with early surgical reconstruction.
Nerve transfers in children with traumatic partial brachial plexus injuries
Microsurgery, 2008
Brachial plexus trauma is a rare condition in children except for obstetrical lesions, for which nerve grafting is generally proposed. Two children (9 and 12 years old) with C5 and C6 traumatic brachial plexus avulsion lesions are presented, where elbow flexion and shoulder abduction and external rotation were the functions to be restored. Nerve transfers have been performed. Shoulder abduction was restored by an accessory-to-suprascapular nerve transfer in one patient, while the triceps long head motor branch was transferred to the axillary nerve in both patients. Fascicles of the ulnar and median nerve were transferred respectively to the biceps muscle nerve and the brachialis motor branch. At 11 months follow-up, the elbow flexion scored M4 and the shoulder abduction recovered in both patients. No complications were observed. Nerve transfers currently used in adult patients may be applied in children with traumatic partial brachial plexus palsies.
Use of intercostal nerves for different target neurotization in brachial plexus reconstruction
World journal of orthopedics, 2013
Intercostal nerve transfer is a valuable procedure in devastating plexopathies. Intercostal nerves are a very good choice for elbow flexion or extension and shoulder abduction when the intraplexus donor nerves are not available. The best results are obtained in obstetric brachial plexus palsy patients, when direct nerve transfer is performed within six months from the injury. Unlike the adult posttraumatic patients after median and ulnar nerve neurotization with intercostal nerves, almost all obstetric brachial plexus palsy patients achieve protective sensation in the hand and some of them achieve active wrist and finger flexion. Use in combination with proper muscles, intercostal nerve transfer can yield adequate power to the paretic upper limb. Reinnervation of native muscles (i.e., latissimus dorsi) should always be sought as they can successfully be transferred later on for further functional restoration.
HAND, 2010
Selective peripheral nerve transfers represent an emerging reconstructive strategy in the management of both pediatric and adult brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injuries. Transfer of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve of the forearm into the distal ulnar nerve is a useful means to restore sensibility to the ulnar side of the hand when indicated. This technique is particularly valuable in the management of global brachial plexus birth injuries in children for which its application has not been previously reported. Four children ages 4 to 9 years who sustained brachial plexus birth injury with persistent absent sensibility on the unlar aspect of the hand underwent transfer of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve to the distal ulnar nerve. In three patients, a direct transfer with a distal endto-side repair through a deep longitudinal neurotomy was performed. In a single patient, an interposition nerve graft was required. Restoration of sensibility was evaluated by the "wrinkle test."