Surgical treatment of brachial plexus injuries in adults

We carried out a retrospective review of 32 consecutive patients (30 adults and two children) with total or partial lesions of the brachial plexus who had surgical repair using nerve grafting, neurotisation, and neurolysis between January 1991 and December 2003. The outcome measures of muscular strength were correlated with the type of lesion, age, preoperative time, length and number of grafts, and time to reinnervation of the biceps. The function of the upper limb was also evaluated. There was a significant correlation between muscular strength after surgical repair and both the preoperative time and the length of the nerve graft. There was also a significant correlation between muscular strength and the number of grafts. Muscular strength was better when the neurolysis was done before six months. When neurosurgical repair and reconstructive procedures were performed, the function of the upper limb was improved.