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PURPOSE: To compare two populations of brachial plexus palsies, one neonatal (NBPP) and the other traumatic (NNBPP) who underwent different nerve transfers, using the plasticity grading scale (PGS) for detecting differences in brain plasticity between both groups. METHODS: To be included, all patients had to have undergone a nerve transfer as the unique procedure to recover one lost function. The primary outcome was the PGS score. We also assessed patient compliance to rehabilitation using the rehabilitation quality scale (RQS). Statistical analysis of all variables was performed. A p ≤ 0.050 set as criterion for statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 153 NNBPP patients and 35 NBPP babies (with 38 nerve transfers) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at surgery of the NBPP group was 9 months (SD 5.42, range 4 to 23 months). The mean age of NNBPP patients was 22 years (SD 12 years, range 3 to 69). They were operated around sixth months after the trauma. All transfers performed in NBPP patients had a maximum PGS score of 4. This was not the case for the NNBPP population that reached a PGS score of 4 in approximately 20% of the cases. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The RQS was not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: We found that babies with NBPP have a significantly greater capacity for plastic rewiring than adults with NNBPP. The brain in the very young patient can process the changes induced by the peripheral nerve transfer better than in adults.

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BACKGROUND: Joint flexion to diminish the gap and avoid nerve grafts fell into disuse for decades, but recently attention for using this technique was regained. We report a case series of nerve suture under joint flexion, ultrasound monitoring, and physiotherapy. Our main objective was to determine how effective this multimodality treatment is. METHODS: A retrospective review of 8 patients treated with direct repair with joint flexion was done. Depending on the affected nerve, either the knee or the elbow was flexed intraoperatively to determine if direct suturing was possible. After surgery, the limb was held immobilized. Through serial ultrasounds and a physiotherapy program, the limb was fully extended. If a nerve repair rupture was observed, the patient was re-operated and grafts were used. RESULTS: Of the eight nerve sutures analyzed, four sustained a nerve rupture revealed by US at an early stage, while four did not show any sign of dehiscence. In the patients in whom the nerve suture was preserved, an early and very good response was observed. Ultrasound was 100% accurate at identifying nerve suture preservation. Early detection of nerve failure permitted early re-do surgery using grafts without flexion, ultimately determining good final results. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high rate of dehiscence in our group of patients treated with direct repair and joint flexion. We believe this was due to an incorrect use of the immobilization device, excessive movement, or a broken device. In opposition to this, we observed that applying direct nerve sutures and joint flexion offers unusually good and fast results. If this technique is employed, it is mandatory to closely monitor suture status with US, together with physiotherapy providing progressive, US-guided extension of the flexed joint. If nerve rupture occurs, the close monitoring dictated by this protocol should ensure the timely application of a successful graft repair.

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BACKGROUND: Traumatic brachial plexus injuries cause long-term maiming of patients. The major target function to restore in complex brachial plexus injury is elbow flexion. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze the correlation between the length of the nerve graft and the strength of target muscle recovery in extraplexual and intraplexual nerve transfers. METHODS: A total of 51 patients with complete or near-complete brachial plexus injuries were treated with a combination of nerve reconstruction strategies. The phrenic nerve (PN) was used as axon donor in 40 patients and the spinal accessory nerve was used in 11 patients. The recipient nerves were the anterior division of the upper trunk (AD), the musculocutaneous nerve (MC), or the biceps branches of the MC (BBs). An index comparing the strength of elbow flexion between the affected and the healthy arms was correlated with the choice of target nerve recipient and the length of nerve grafts, among other parameters. The mean follow-up was 4 yr. RESULTS: Neither the choice of MC or BB as a recipient nor the length of the nerve graft showed a strong correlation with the strength of elbow flexion. The choice of very proximal recipient nerve (AD) led to axonal misrouting in 25% of the patients in whom no graft was employed. CONCLUSION: The length of the nerve graft is not a negative factor for obtaining good muscle recovery for elbow flexion when using PN or spinal accessory nerve as axon donors in traumatic brachial plexus injuries.

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BACKGROUND: The phrenic nerve has been extensively reported to be a very powerful source of transferable axons in brachial plexus injuries. The most used technique used is supraclavicular sectioning of this nerve. More recently, video-assisted thoracoscopic techniques have been reported as a good alternative, since harvesting a longer phrenic nerve avoids the need of an interposed graft. OBJECTIVE: To compare grafting vs phrenic nerve transfer via thoracoscopy with respect to mean elbow strength at final follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted among patients who underwent phrenic nerve transfer for elbow flexion at 2 centers from 2008 to 2017. All data analysis was performed in order to determine statistical significance among the analyzed variables. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients underwent supraclavicular phrenic nerve transfer, while 28 underwent phrenic nerve transfer via video-assisted thoracoscopy. Demographic characteristics were similar in both groups. A statistically significant difference in elbow flexion strength recovery was observed, favoring the supraclavicular phrenic nerve section group against the intrathoracic group (P = .036). A moderate though nonsignificant difference was observed favoring the same group in mean elbow flexion strength. Also, statistical differences included patient age (P = .01) and earlier time from trauma to surgery (P = .069). CONCLUSION: Comparing supraclavicular sectioning of the nerve vs video-assisted, intrathoracic nerve sectioning to restore elbow flexion showed that the former yielded statistically better results than the latter, in terms of the percentage of patients who achieve at least level 3 MRC strength at final follow-up. Furthermore, larger scale prospective studies assessing the long-term effects of phrenic nerve transfers remain necessary.

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Introducción: El presente estudio busca evaluar el rol del psicólogo en una unidad de neurocirugía a través de la psicoprofilaxis quirúrgica, una psicoterapia breve diseñada para el paciente quirúrgico durante su internación. Objetivo: Describir y analizar el trabajo realizado sobre psicoprofilaxis quirúrgica durante 8 años en la División Neurocirugía del Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Método: Se utilizó un protocolo de asistencia psicoterapéutica que consta de entrevistas clínicas al paciente y su familia durante la internación, asistencia del psicoterapeuta al pase de sala matinal diario, confección periódica de escalas de ansiedad, depresión y tests cognitivos, entrevistas con la familia por separado del paciente y reuniones informativas junto al equipo tratante y la familia. Se tomaron como parámetros de evaluación a la ansiedad, la depresión, la comunicación de la información, los miedos universales y la opinión de los pacientes sobre la utilidad de la misma. Resultados: Entre los años 2010 y 2018 recibieron psicoprofilaxis quirúrgica 1517 pacientes, todos ellos intervenidos quirúrgicamente por diferentes patologías. El 50% de los pacientes reportaban síntomas de ansiedad antes de la cirugía, dichos síntomas disminuyeron en un 83% después de la intervención psicológica. Lo mismo sucedió con los síntomas de depresión, del 36% del reporte inicial, un 52% mostró mejoría en sus síntomas después de recibir la psicoterapia durante la internación. En cuanto a la comunicación de la información y el tratamiento de los miedos básicos universales, el 84% de los pacientes pudieron recibir la información de forma pausada, con el tiempo suficiente para procesarla y acomodarla sumado al espacio de escucha a sus miedos universales, facilitando su procesamiento. El 82% de los pacientes asistidos calificaron como positiva la presencia de un profesional de la psicología durante la internación. Conclusión: El balance positivo entre los parámetros objetivos (ansiedad y depresión) y los subjetivos (comunicación de la información, miedos y opinión del paciente) muestran la utilidad de la presencia de un profesional de la psicología en un servicio de neurocirugía hospitalaria de alta complejidad.

Introduction: The present study evaluated the role of a psychologist in a neurosurgery unit practicing surgical psycho-prophylaxis, a brief psychotherapy intervention designed for surgical patients during hospitalization. Objective: To describe and analyze the usefulness of surgical psycho-prophylaxis over eight years in the Neurosurgery Division at Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martín. Method: A protocol of psychotherapeutic assistance was used, consisting of clinical interviews with patients and their families during hospitalization, assisting during morning rounds, evaluating patients anxiety and depression using standardized scales, cognitive testing, and arranging information meetings between the treatment team and patients' families. Evaluated parameters were anxiety, depression, how well information is communicated and universal fears addressed, and patients' opinions about the intervention's usefulness. Results: Between 2010 and 2018, 1517 patients received surgical psycho-prophylaxis, all of whom underwent surgery for different pathologies. Fifty percent of these patients reported symptoms of anxiety before surgery, which decreased by 83% post psychological intervention. Much the same transpired with symptoms of depression initially reported by 36% and improved in 52% after psychotherapy during hospitalization. Regarding information communication, 84% of patients were able to receive the information slowly, with enough time to process and accommodate it, in addition to affording them ears to hear their fears, facilitating their processing. Overall, 82% of the patients rated the presence of a psychology professional during hospitalization positively. Conclusion: Addressing both clinical parameters like anxiety and depression, and subtler parameters like the communication of information, and patients' fears and opinions, the presence of a psychology professional in the neurosurgery unit of a tertiary-care hospital was found to be both useful and appreciated by patients.

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Background Traumatic brachial plexus injuries (BPIs) represent a major cause of disability in young patients. The purpose of this study was to compare two populations (from Argentina and Germany) who suffered a traumatic BPI after a motorcycle accident to identify predictors of BPI and brain injury severity. Methods Univariate and multivariable intergroup comparisons were conducted, and odds ratios were calculated to assess the associations between the different demographic, morphometric, and trauma-related variables, and the type and severity of patients' injuries. Pearson correlation coefficients were generated to identify statistically significant correlations. Results A total of 187 patients were analyzed, 139 from Argentina and 48 from Germany. The two countries differed significantly in age and several morphometric and trauma-related variables. The clinical presentation was also convincingly different in the two countries. The following three variables remained as statistically significant predictors of a complete (vs. partial) BPI: living in Argentina ( p < 0.001), presenting prior to 2015 ( p = 0.004), and greater estimated speed at the time of impact ( p = 0.074). As for BPIs, a disproportionate percentage (85.6%) of more severe brain injuries occurred in Argentinian patients ( p < 0.001) and among those whose accident involved striking a stationary vertical object. Conclusions This study identified several factors that might be considered when planning governmental policies and education initiatives to reduce BPI and brain injuries related to motorcycle use. Level of evidence II-2 (evidence obtained from case-control studies).

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Peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injuries typically cause severe impairment in the affected limb. The incidence of neuropathic pain is high, reaching up to 95% of cases, especially if cervical root avulsion has occurred. Neuropathic pain results from damage to the somatosensory system, and its progression towards chronicity depends upon disruptions affecting both the peripheral and central nervous system. Managing these painful conditions is complex and must be accomplished by a multidisciplinary team, starting with first-line pharmacological therapies like tricyclic antidepressants and calcium channel ligands, combined physical and occupational therapy, transcutaneous electrical stimulation and psychological support. For patients refractory to the initial measures, several neurosurgical options are available, including nerve decompression or reconstruction and ablative/modulatory procedures.

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BACKGROUND: Among other factors, like the time from trauma to surgery or the number of axons that reach the muscle target, a patient's age might also impact the final results of brachial plexus surgery. OBJECTIVE: To identify (1) any correlations between age and the 2 outcomes: elbow flexion strength and shoulder abduction range; (2) whether childhood vs adulthood influences outcomes; and (3) other baseline variables associated with surgical outcomes. METHODS: Twenty pediatric patients (under age 20 yr) who had sustained a traumatic brachial plexus injury were compared against 20 patients, 20 to 29 yr old, and 20 patients, 30 yr old or older. Univariate, univariate trend, and correlation analyses were conducted with patient age, time to surgery, type of injury, and number of injured roots included as independent variables. RESULTS: A statistically significant trend toward decreasing mean strength in elbow flexion, progressing from the youngest to oldest age group, was observed. This linear trend persisted when subjects were subdivided into 4 age groups (<20, 20-29, 30-39, ≥40). There were no differences by age group in final shoulder abduction range or the percentage achieving a good shoulder outcome. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that age is somehow linked to the outcomes of brachial plexus surgery with respect to elbow flexion, but not shoulder abduction strength. Increasing age is associated with steadily worsening elbow flexion outcomes, perhaps indicating the need for earlier surgery and/or more aggressive repairs in older patients.

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BACKGROUND: The hypoglossal (with or without grafts) and masseter nerves are frequently used as axon donors for facial reinnervation when no proximal stump of the facial nerve is available. We report our experience treating facial nerve palsies via hemihypoglossal-to-facial nerve transfers either with (HFG) or without grafts (HFD), comparing these outcomes against those of masseteric-to-facial nerve transfers (MF). METHOD: A total of 77 patients were analyzed retrospectively, including 51 HFD, 11 HFG, and 15 MF nerve transfer patients. Both the House-Brackmann (HB) scale and our own, newly-designed scale to rate facial reanimation post nerve transfer (quantifying symmetry at rest and when smiling, eye occlusion, and eye and mouth synkinesis when speaking) were used to enumerate the extent of recovery. RESULTS: With both the HB and our own facial reanimation scale, the HFD and MF procedures yielded better outcome scores than HFG, though only the HGD was statistically superior. HGD produced slightly better scores than MF for everything but eye synkinesis, but these differences were generally not statistically significant. Delaying surgery beyond 2 years since injury was associated with appreciably worse outcomes when measured with our own but not the HB scale. The only predictors of outcome were the surgical technique employed and the duration of time between the initial injury and surgery. CONCLUSIONS: HFD appears to produce the most satisfactory facial reanimation results, with MF providing lesser but still satisfactory outcomes. Using interposed grafts while performing hemihypoglossal-to-facial nerve transfers should likely be avoided, whenever possible.

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INTRODUCCIÓN: la lesión del nervio peróneo común es la más frecuente del miembro inferior, resultando en pie caído y marcha en steppage. La reconstrucción nerviosa tiene un resultado desfavorable en la mayoría de las series. Una alternativa terapéutica a dicha reconstrucción es la transferencia del tendón del músculo tibial posterior, cuyo objetivo es lograr la dorsiflexión activa del pie. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los resultados obtenidos con esta cirugía. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: se analizaron una serie de pacientes a los que se realizó una transferencia de tendón de tibial posterior por pie caído, entre los meses de enero 2008 y junio 2012. Sólo se incluyeron en el análisis aquellos que presentaban un seguimiento de al menos 12 meses. La técnica empleada en todos los procedimientos fue la vía subcutánea, circunferencial, con fijación tendón-tendón, y usando como blanco los tendones del tibial anterior, extensor propio del hallux, extensor común de los dedos y peróneos laterales. La escala de Stanmore fue empleada para analizar los resultados. RESULTADOS: en el período analizado, fueron realizadas 22 transferencias de tibial posterior, de los cuales 19 poseían un seguimiento adecuado. Diez de esos 19 pacientes mostraron un resultado excelente (52,3%), cinco bueno (26,7%), dos pacientes regular (10,5%) y dos malo (10,5 %), de acuerdo a la escala mencionada. Sólo una complicación se verificó en un caso, la pérdida de tensión de la sutura tendinosa, que requirió una nueva cirugía. CONCLUSIÓN: la transferencia tendinosa de tibial posterior es un procedimiento con una alta tasa de éxito, tanto es nuestra serie como en otras publicadas en la literatura. Atento a los resultados generalmente pobres que posee la reconstrucción nerviosa primaria directa, consideramos que en casos seleccionados la técnica de transferencia tendinosa es la primera elección en el pie caído

INTRODUCTION: common peroneal nerve injury is the most frequent nerve deficit affecting the lower limbs, resulting in foot drop and stepagge. Primary surgical nerve repair has an unfavorable outcome in most series. An alternative is posterior tibial tendon transfer, a procedure designed to achieve active dorsiflexion. The aim of this paper is to analyze the results obtained with this surgery. METHODS: between January 2008 and June 2012, all patients submitted for posterior tibial tendon transfer with a minimum follow-up of 12 months, were analyzed. Subcutaneous route was used for the transfer, and tendon-to-tendon suture was employed, using as targets the anterior tibial, extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus and peroneal tendons. Stanmore scale was used for analysis. RESULTS: a total of 22 patients were operated in the studied period, but 19 who had a minimum follow-up were included in these analysis. The results were excellent in 10 patients (52,3%), good in 5 (26,7%), fair in in 2 patients (10,5%) and poor in 2 (10,5%), according to Stanmore scale. CONCLUSIONS: this tendon transfer has a high rate of success, both in our series and in the literature. Considering the poor results that primary nerve repairs has, we believe that posterior tibial tendon transfer is the first choice for the treatment of foot drop in selected cases

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Objetivo: La cirugía de reparación nerviosa es la primera elección en lesiones del plexo braquial. La artrodesis de hombro estabiliza y otorga cierta abducción por desplazamiento de la escápula. El objetivo del presente trabajo es: comparar la artrodesis de hombro versus la transferencia del nervio espinal accesorio al supraescapular. Materiales y métodos: se analizaron en forma retrospectiva 20 pacientes con parálisis completa del miembro superior y avulsión radicular de al menos 4 raíces. Diez fueron artrodesados, y en los otros 10 se realizó una única transferencia nerviosa para el hombro, antes citada. El seguimiento mínimo fue de 2 años. Se determinó la abducción en grados y se describió una escala para estudiar los resultados de ambas técnicas. Los resultados fueron comparados estadísticamente. Resultados: en los pacientes artrodesados el promedio, según la escala, fue 4,5 puntos, mientras que en los transferidos fue 4,8. La media de abducción en grados fue de 37 en artrodesados y 43,5 en transferidos. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre ambos grupos. Conclusiones: los resultados de ambas técnicas son semejantes. La artrodesis escápulo-humeral es una posibilidad terapéutica aceptable del hombro paralizado en los pacientes con lesiones muy graves del plexo braquial y escasez de donantes nerviosos.

Objective: Primary nerve reconstruction surgery is the gold standard in brachial plexus injuries. Shoulder arthrodesis stabilizes and abducts the shoulder by the movement of the scapula. The goal of the present study is to compare shoulder arthrodesis versus spinal nerve transfer to supraescapular nerve. Materials y methods: 20 patients with complete brachial plexus palsy (flail arm) and at least 4 roots avulsions were analyzed retrospectively. Ten were submitted to shoulder arthrodesis, while in the other 10, only one nerve transfer was performed to reinervate the shoulder. Minimum follow-up was 2 years. The results were determined in degrees of abduction, also measured in a scale, and compared statistically. Results: the mean result in the patients with shoulder arthrodesis was 4.5, and 4.8 in the nerve transferred. Mean final abduction was 37 degrees in arthrodesis and 43.5 in nerve transfer. No statistical significant difference was found between groupsConclusions: the results of both techniques are similar. Shoulder arthrodesis is a viable option in severely injured brachial plexus patients where donor nerve are scarce.

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BACKGROUND: Although peripheral schwannomas can be resected without postoperative neurological complications, surgeons must anticipate the possibility that new neurological deficits could develop. In order to evaluate the risk of neurological complications in the surgical treatment of these tumours, we performed a retrospective review of cases involving schwannomas in the extremities, as well as an analysis of the related literature. METHOD: We reviewed a combined series of 72 schwannomas from the extremities presenting for surgical excision. Meticulous analysis of the files was undertaken, searching for pre-operative findings that could be more frequent in patients with surgical complications. The incidence, severity, and transitory nature of post-operative complications in our series was observed and compared against the literature. RESULTS: Eleven patients (15.2 %) developed new neurological deficits after surgery: sensory disturbance in seven cases, motor weakness in three, and a single wound hematoma. Most of these complications were temporary. Statistical analysis demonstrated a positive relationship between the presence of complications and both patient age under 50 years (p = 0.02) and tumours greater than 3 cm in greatest diameter (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Although relatively infrequent, the potential for novel post-operative deficits after the surgical treatment of peripheral schwannomas does exist and should be included during pre-operative counseling.

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Objetivo: el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los resultados obtenidos en una serie de cirugías realizadas en esta patología. Material y métodos: se analizaron todos los casos de cirugías de nervios efectuados en el período 2003-2012, separando los casos con diagnóstico de outlet torácico operados con un período de seguimiento postoperatorio mínimo de 6 meses. Se buscaron los siguientes datos: edad, sexo, presencia de síntomas sensitivos y/o motores, tipo de outlet (verdadero o disputado), resultado de los estudios neurofisiológicos y de imágenes, resultado de la cirugía, complicaciones postoperatorias y recidivas. Resultados: se incluyeron 31 cirugías realizadas en 30 pacientes, 9 con diagnóstico de OTV (8 mujeres) con un promedio de edad fue de 24.3 años, y 21 con OTD (18 mujeres) de 37.4 años en promedio. Un 90% de todos los casos de outlet presentaron alteraciones neurofisiológicas preoperatorios, y los estadios imagenológicos fueron anormales en 66.6%. Una vez realizada la exploración, el 100% de los OTV presentó una alteración anatómica claramente relacionada con la sintomatología, hecho observado sólo en el 36.7% de los OTD operados. El 87.5% de los OTV mejoraron sus síntomas sensitivos luego de la cirugía, mientras que 77.7% mejoraron desde el punto de vista motor. Por el contrario, 45.4% de los OTD mejoraron permanentemente, 36.3% no tuvieron cambios, 13.6% mejoraron transitoriamente y 405% (un caso) empeoró. Las complicaciones postoperatorias fueron más frecuentes aunque transitorias en el grupo de OTV (3 casos sobre 9 operados, 33.3%) que en los OTD (3 casos sobre 22, un 13.6%). Conclusión: el OTV es una patología infrecuente cuyo tratamiento quirúrgico suele evolucionar favorablemente. En cambio, el OTD constituye un diagnóstico de exclusión y su tratamiento quirúrgico da un resultado bueno aunque inferior al del OTV.

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Objetivo: el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los resultados obtenidos en una serie de cirugías realizadas en esta patología. Material y métodos: se analizaron todos los casos de cirugías de nervios efectuados en el período 2003-2012, separando los casos con diagnóstico de outlet torácico operados con un período de seguimiento postoperatorio mínimo de 6 meses. Se buscaron los siguientes datos: edad, sexo, presencia de síntomas sensitivos y/o motores, tipo de outlet (verdadero o disputado), resultado de los estudios neurofisiológicos y de imágenes, resultado de la cirugía, complicaciones postoperatorias y recidivas. Resultados: se incluyeron 31 cirugías realizadas en 30 pacientes, 9 con diagnóstico de OTV (8 mujeres) con un promedio de edad fue de 24.3 años, y 21 con OTD (18 mujeres) de 37.4 años en promedio. Un 90% de todos los casos de outlet presentaron alteraciones neurofisiológicas preoperatorios, y los estadios imagenológicos fueron anormales en 66.6%. Una vez realizada la exploración, el 100% de los OTV presentó una alteración anatómica claramente relacionada con la sintomatología, hecho observado sólo en el 36.7% de los OTD operados. El 87.5% de los OTV mejoraron sus síntomas sensitivos luego de la cirugía, mientras que 77.7% mejoraron desde el punto de vista motor. Por el contrario, 45.4% de los OTD mejoraron permanentemente, 36.3% no tuvieron cambios, 13.6% mejoraron transitoriamente y 405% (un caso) empeoró. Las complicaciones postoperatorias fueron más frecuentes aunque transitorias en el grupo de OTV (3 casos sobre 9 operados, 33.3%) que en los OTD (3 casos sobre 22, un 13.6%). Conclusión: el OTV es una patología infrecuente cuyo tratamiento quirúrgico suele evolucionar favorablemente. En cambio, el OTD constituye un diagnóstico de exclusión y su tratamiento quirúrgico da un resultado bueno aunque inferior al del OTV. (AU)

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BACKGROUND: In brachial plexus injuries, when there are no available roots to use as a source for graft reconstruction, nerve transfers emerge as an elective technique. For this purpose, transfer of an ulnar nerve fascicle to the biceps motor branch (Oberlin's procedure) is often used. Despite the high rate of good to excellent results in adults, this technique is seldom used in children. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Oberlin's procedure in the surgical treatment of brachial plexus birth palsy. METHODS: Striving to restore elbow flexion, we performed Oberlin's procedure in 17 infants with brachial plexus birth palsy. After follow-up of at least 19 months, primary outcomes were the strength of elbow flexion (modified British Medical Research Council scale), hand function measured using Al-Qattan's scale, and comparative x-rays of both hands to detect altered growth. RESULTS: Good to excellent results related to biceps contraction were obtained in 14 patients (82.3%) (3/MRC3, 11/MRC4). The preoperative Al-Qattan scale score for the hand was maintained at final follow-up. Comparing the treated and normal limb, no difference was observed in hand development by x-ray. CONCLUSION: Oberlin's procedure is an effective and safe option for the surgical treatment of upper brachial plexus birth palsy.

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BACKGROUND: Nerve transfers or graft repairs in upper brachial plexus palsies are 2 available options for elbow flexion recovery. OBJECTIVE: To assess outcomes of biceps muscle strength when treated either by grafts or nerve transfer. METHODS: A standard supraclavicular approach was performed in all patients. When roots were available, grafts were used directed to proximal targets. Otherwise, a distal ulnar nerve fascicle was transferred to the biceps branch. Elbow flexion strength was measured with a dynamometer, and an index comparing the healthy arm and the operated-on side was developed. Statistical analysis to compare both techniques was performed. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (34 men) were included in this series. Mean age was 28.7 years (standard deviation, 8.7). Twenty-two patients (62.8%) presented with a C5-C6 injury, whereas 13 patients (37.2%) had a C5-C6-C7 lesion. Seventeen patients received reconstruction with grafts, and 18 patients were treated with a nerve transfer from the ulnar nerve to the biceps. The trauma to surgery interval (mean, 7.6 months in both groups), strength in the healthy arm, and follow-up duration were not statistically different. On the British Medical Research Council muscle strength scale, 8 of 17 (47%) patients with a graft achieved ≥ M3 biceps flexion postoperatively, vs 16 of 18 (88%) post nerve transfers (P = .024). This difference persisted when a muscle strength index assessing improvement relative to the healthy limb was used (P = .031). CONCLUSION: The results obtained from ulnar nerve fascicle transfer to the biceps branch were superior to those achieved through reconstruction with grafts.

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Objective: to describe and analyse a case of intrapetrous facial schwannoma, with intraparotid extension. Description: a 37-year-old female came to examination presenting a facial palsy consequent to a previous surgery of a tumor in the left parotid region. Pathology revealed a schwannoma. CT-scanning and MRI showed an intratemporal left region mass.Intervention: through a retro-auricular, transmastoid approach, it was observed that the tumor affected the labyrinthine and tympanic segments of the facial nerve. The intrapetrous mass lesion was removed but it was impossible to isolate a healthy portion of the nerve; intraparotid involvement was also observed. It was decided to perform a hypoglossal facial anastomosis using anautologous sural nerve grafting. Pathology of the intrapetrous lesion revealed a facial nerve schwannoma. Conclusion: the choice of a retro-auricular, transmastoid approach allowed us to remove the facial nerve schwannoma, at the intrapetrous level. Due to the simultaneous intratemporal and intraparotid nerve involvement, a hypoglossal facial anastomosis was performed to treat the patient’s facial palsy.

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BACKGROUND: Using grafts directed to distal targets in brachial plexus reconstruction has the advantage over proximal targets of avoiding axonal dispersion. A long graft (more than 10 cm) is needed to reach most distal targets. The objective of this article is to identify factors associated with good versus poor outcomes in a clinical series of long grafts used for distal brachial plexus reconstruction. METHODS: In 34 patients with a flail arm, 47 sural grafts >10 cm long were followed for ≥2 years postoperatively. Surgical technique included standard supraclavicular exposure of the proximal brachial plexus and its branches, the phrenic nerve and spinal accessory nerve. Distal target nerves were exposed via an incision starting at the axilla, following the gap between the biceps and triceps. Cases achieving a good result were statistically compared against those with a poor result as to the donor nerve/root, target nerve, patient age and weight, time from trauma to surgery, graft length and long-term rehabilitation quality. FINDINGS: A good outcome was observed with 23 grafts (48.9%), but 66.7% of the 30 long grafts done within 6 months of trauma yielded a good result. Only 1 of 15 patients with the lowest quality rehabilitation score experienced a good result (6.6%) versus all 12 patients with the highest rating (p < 0.001). Trauma-to-surgery time was roughly half as long in those with a good result (4.7 vs. 9.0 months, p < 0.001). No other inter-group differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results of a series of distal brachial plexus target reinnervations with long grafts is presented and analyzed. According to them, time from trauma to surgery and an adequate postoperative rehabilitation are important predictors of outcome.

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BACKGROUND: Peripheral nerve lesions usually are associated with neuropathic pain. In the present paper, we describe a simple scale to quantify pain after brachial plexus injuries and apply this scale to a series of patients to determine initial outcomes after reconstructive surgery. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with traumatic brachial plexus avulsion injuries were treated over the period of one calendar year at one center by the same surgical team. Of these, 28 patients who were available for follow-up reported some degree of neuropathic pain radiating towards the hand or forearm and underwent reconstructive microsurgery and direct pain management, including trunk and nerve neurolysis and repair. A special pain severity rating scale was developed and used to assess patients' pain before and after surgery, over a minimum follow-up of 6 months. An independent researcher, not part of the surgical team, performed all pre- and postoperative evaluations. FINDINGS: Of the 28 patients with brachial plexus traction injuries who met eligibility criteria, 93% were male, and most were young (mean age, 27.6 years). The mean preoperative severity of pain using our scale was 30.9 out of a maximum of 37 (± 0.76 SD), which fell to a mean of 6.9 (± 0.68 SD) 6 months post-procedure. On average, pain declined by 78% across the whole series, a decline that was statistically significant (p < .001). Subset analysis revealed similar improvements across all the different parameters of pain. CONCLUSIONS: We have designed and tested a simple and reliable method by which to quantify neuropathic pain after traumatic brachial plexus injuries. Initial surgical treatment of the paralysis--including nerve, trunk and root reconstruction, and neurolysis--comprises an effective means by which to initially treat neuropathic pain. Ablative or neuromodulative procedures, like dorsal root entry zone, should be reserved for refractory cases.

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Objetivo: describir los resultados obtenidos con el método de planeamiento neuroquirúrgico informático en un grupo de pacientes con patología intracraneala. Método: se operaron 10 pacientes (7 varones y 3 mujeres, edad media 60,2 años) con lesiones intracranealas (1 absceso, 5 tumores intraxiales y 4 tumores extraxiales). Se obtuvieron imágenes de TAC y/o IRM en formato DICOM, siendo luego procesadas con un software (MRIcro V1.40) generando reconstrucciones tridimensionales de la cabeza de los pacientes. Se definieron áreas de interés intracranealas, proyectándolas hacia la superficie. Se fusionó la reconstrucción con una fotografía del paciente, permitiendo planear el sitio más indicado para la incisión y craneotomía. En las lesiones que no poseían expresión cortical se combinó con la estereotaxia. Resultados: en todos los casos, las incisiones y craneotomías fueron adecuadas para alcanzar los blancos quirúrgicos. Al comparar este método con el estereotáctico, se observó coincidencia en el planeamiento del abordaje. Todos los pacientes evolucionaron sin déficit neurológico postoperatorio nuevo o agregado. Conclusión: el planeamiento neuroquirúrgico informático permitió ubicar adecuadamente las lesiones intracranealas en forma sencilla y con un bajo costo.

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