Traumatic brachial plexus injuries: a study of 665 cases from multicenter services in Guangxi, China (2017-2022)

Traumatic brachial plexus injury (BPI) is a severe condition whose epidemiological characteristics exhibit regional and temporal variation, potentially affecting its diagnosis and treatment.

A retrospective multicenter study was conducted across a regional healthcare network comprising 16 tertiary and 3 secondary hospitals. A total of 683 patients with traumatic BPI treated between January 2017 and December 2022 were enrolled, of whom 665 were included in the final analysis. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical record system. Limb function was assessed at final follow-up using the Louisiana State University Medical Center (LSUMC) grading system, and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22.0.

Of the 665 patients, 480 were male and 185 were female, with a mean age of 41.65 years. The proportion of female patients increased significantly from 15.6% in 2017 to 34.1% in 2022. Among traffic-related injuries (45.86%), e-bike accidents were the most common mechanism (27.82%), surpassing motorcycle accidents (13.23%). Closed injuries accounted for 90.98% of cases, Fractures were present in 51.43% of patients, with clavicular fractures having the highest surgical rate (98.82%). Surgery within 3 months achieved a recovery rate of 78.5%, which was significantly higher than that of delayed surgery (p < 0.001). Among surgical patients, isolated infraclavicular injuries had the highest recovery rate (82.35%), while C5-T1 injuries had the lowest (49.33%). Neurolysis yielded the highest recovery rate (79.17%).

The epidemiology of BPI in Guangxi has shifted markedly, with notable age differences between male and female patients and e-bike accidents emerging as the dominant mechanism. Early intervention and individualized surgery remain critical determinants of favorable outcomes.