[Iatrogenic lesions of the spinal accessory nerve. Microsurgical repair]

Iatrogenic lesions of the spinal accessory nerve were explored and repaired in 10 patients. Symptoms included pain, trapezius muscle atrophy, restricted active abduction and drop shoulder; as they developed after cervical lymph node biopsy, diagnosis was usually easy. Depending on the operative findings, microsurgical repair involved suture, neurolysis or grafts. Clinical and electromyographic results are available from 7 patients followed up for 14 months on average: complete recovery was observed in 3 cases and satisfactory but incomplete recovery in 3; there was one failure. Since these lesions often have severe sequelae, exploration and repair are advocated.