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Microsurgical outcome in posttraumatic brachial plexus injuries in children

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to analyze the surgical outcomes in children (≤18 years) with brachial plexus injury operated between April 2008 and March 2012 at our center.

Methods

All children <18 years of age admitted to our center and surgically treated with a diagnosis of posttraumatic brachial plexus injury were included in the study. The demographic details of these patients were retrieved from the computerized database of our hospital. The results were analyzed in terms of the mode of injury, type of injury, surgical procedure performed, and motor recovery after the surgery (MRC Grading). Motor recovery with MRC >3/5 was termed as good outcome.

Observations

A total of 33 patients were surgically treated. The mean age at presentation was 15.1 (range 4–18) years. Boys constituted 79 % (n = 26) of our patient population. High-velocity injury was the commonest mode of injury. Panbrachial injury was the commonest seen in 82 % (n = 27) of patients. Mean duration between injury and surgical intervention was 6 (range 2–13, SD ± 2.6) months. Majority of patients underwent neurotization procedure. Mean follow-up was 32 (range 6–51) months.

Conclusions

High-velocity trauma is the most common mode on injury. Global palsy involving all the plexal elements was present in 82 % of the children. Neurotization was the most commonly performed surgical procedure. Good motor outcome (MRC grade ≥3/5) was seen in 62 % of patients.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no personal, financial, or institutional interest in any of the drugs, materials, or devices described in this article. The authors report no conflict of interest concerning the materials or methods used in this study or the findings specified in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

    Kanwaljeet Garg, Sumit Sinha & Bhawani Shankar Sharma

  2. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhuvneshwar, India

    Ashok Kumar Mahapatra

  3. JPNA Trauma Center, AIIMS, R No-307, IIIrd Floor, New Delhi, India, 110029

    Sumit Sinha

Authors
  1. Kanwaljeet Garg
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  2. Sumit Sinha
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  3. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra
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  4. Bhawani Shankar Sharma
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sumit Sinha.

Additional information

A portion of this work was presented as proceedings at the 40th International Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery Conference 2012, Sydney, Australia, on September 12, 2012.

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Garg, K., Sinha, S., Mahapatra, A.K. et al. Microsurgical outcome in posttraumatic brachial plexus injuries in children. Childs Nerv Syst 30, 919–923 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2325-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2325-z

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