Phrenic to musculocutaneous nerve transfer for traumatic brachial plexus injuries: analyzing respiratory effects on...

In this study, the authors sought to identify the relationship between breathing and elbow flexion in patients with a traumatic brachial plexus injury (TBPI) who undergo a phrenic nerve (PN) transfer to restore biceps flexion. More specifically, the authors studied whether biceps strength and the maximal range of active elbow flexion differ between full inspiration and expiration, and whether electromyography (EMG) activity in the biceps differs between forced maximum breathing during muscular rest, normal breathing during rest, and at maximal biceps contraction. All these variables were studied in a cohort with different intervals of follow-up, as the authors sought to determine if the relationship between breathing movements and elbow flexion changes over time.

The British Medical Research Council muscle-strength grading system and a dynamometer were used to measure biceps strength, which was measured 1) during a maximal inspiratory effort, 2) during respiratory repose, and 3) after a maximal expiratory effort. The maximum range of elbow flexion was measured 1) after maximal inspiration, 2) during normal breathing, and 3) after maximal expiration. Postoperative EMG testing was performed 1) during normal breathing with the arm at rest, 2) during sustained maximal inspiration with the arm at rest, and 3) during maximal voluntary biceps contraction. Within-group (paired) comparisons, and both correlation and regression analyses were performed.

Twenty-one patients fit the study inclusion criteria. The mean interval from trauma to surgery was 5.5 months, and the mean duration of follow-up 2.6 years (range 10 months to 9.6 years). Mean biceps strength was 0.21 after maximal expiration versus 0.29 after maximal inspiration, a difference of 0.08 (t = 4.97, p < 0.001). Similarly, there was almost a 21° difference in maximum elbow flexion, from 88.8° after expiration to 109.5° during maximal inspiration (t = 5.05, p < 0.001). Involuntary elbow flexion movement during breathing was present in 18/21 patients (86%) and averaged almost 20°. Measuring involuntary EMG activity in the biceps during rest and contraction, there were statistically significant direct correlations between readings taken during normal and deep breathing, which were moderate (r = 0.66, p < 0.001) and extremely strong (r = 0.94, p < 0.001), respectively. Involuntary activity also differed significantly between normal and deep breathing (2.14 vs 3.14, t = 4.58, p < 0.001). The degrees of involuntary flexion were significantly greater within the first 2.6 years of follow-up than later.

These results suggest that the impact of breathing on elbow function is considerable after PN transfer for elbow function reconstruction following a TBPI, both clinically and electromyographically, but also that there may be some waning of this influence over time, perhaps secondary to brain plasticity. In the study cohort, this waning impacted elbow range of motion more than biceps muscle strength and EMG recordings.