FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME OF OBERLIN PROCEDURE

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Traumatology

Background:

• Traumatic brachial plexus injuries significantly impair upper limb function.
• The Oberlin procedure is a surgical technique for nerve repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the functional outcomes of the Oberlin procedure for traumatic brachial plexus injuries.
• To assess elbow flexion, muscle strength, and hand grip post-surgery.

Main Methods:

• Study included 18 patients (17 male, 1 female) with upper brachial plexus injuries.
• Assessed active range of motion, elbow flexion strength, hand-grip strength, and DASH questionnaire scores.

Main Results:

• 22.2% of patients did not achieve effective elbow flexion (BMRC Grade 3).
• Mean active range of motion was 100.2°.
• Mean strength recovery was 35.5% compared to the contralateral limb; affected side showed lower elbow flexion and hand-grip strength (p=0.0001).

Conclusions:

• The Oberlin procedure is effective for restoring elbow flexion without causing hand functional sequelae.
• Optimal bicep strength outcomes are associated with surgical intervention within 12 months of injury.