Clinical decision making in brachial plexus injuries

Abstract

In the not too distant past brachial plexus injuries were considered to have a poor, almost hopeless, prognosis, and a conservative approach of waiting for any spontaneous recovery was advocated. The development of microtechniques for nerve grafting and repair combined with precise electrophysiologic testing of nerve continuity by SSEP and NAP techniques have changed this outlook completely. An aggressive approach to plexus injuries can now be advocated. This approach must be grounded in a thorough knowledge of the internal and external anatomy of the plexus and a careful analysis of each injured element. The type, location, and degree of injury to each area of the plexus are the critical factors in determining the proper course of action in these injuries. Organization of these data, derived from serial clinical and electrical examinations, provides the framework for clinical decisions in brachial plexus injuries. Classification of the many aspects of a plexus injury will simplify the decision making in what may initially seem to be a hopelessly complicated problem.