The Outcome of Spinal Accessory Nerve Transfer to the Musculocutaneous Nerve in Birth Brachial Plexus Palsy

Patients with brachial plexus birth injury with limited intraplexal donors require the use of extraplexal donors. Concern regarding the potential for respiratory problems resulting from the harvest of intercostal nerves or the phrenic nerve suggests the need for other options. Transfer of the spinal accessory nerve (SAN) is one option for restoring elbow flexion in adult patients; however, there are few reports of the results of this transfer in brachial plexus birth injury. This study aimed to report the result of SAN transfer to the musculocutaneous nerve (MCN) in brachial plexus birth injury.

Patients who had undergone SAN to MCN nerve transfer were included in this study. Patients were classified according to Narakas classification. The chart was reviewed for the time for recovery of elbow flexion according to the Active Movement Scale (AMS).

Eleven patients underwent SAN to MCN transfers with interpositional sural nerve grafts. Mean birthweight was 4,070 grams (range: 3,300-4,670). Mean time to operation was 6.5 months (range: 4-10). Of the 11 patients, two were of Narakas type 3, whereas the others were of type 4. One patient did not recover elbow flexion and underwent later tendon transfer, whereas the other 10 patients reached AMS grade M6 recovery. The median time for AMS grade M1 elbow flexion recovery was eight months (interquartile range: 6.2-8.8) and for AMS grade M5 was 26 months (interquartile range: 14.2-36.5).

Spinal accessory nerve to MCN transfer with an interposition nerve graft is a viable option for restoring elbow flexion. However, long-term outcomes of this procedure have yet to be fully demonstrated.

Therapeutic IV.