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. 2014:2014:153182.
doi: 10.1155/2014/153182. Epub 2014 Mar 31.

The use of the phrenic nerve communicating branch to the fifth cervical root for nerve transfer to the suprascapular nerve in infants with obstetric brachial plexus palsy

M M Al-Qattan  1 , A A F El-Sayed  1
Affiliations

The use of the phrenic nerve communicating branch to the fifth cervical root for nerve transfer to the suprascapular nerve in infants with obstetric brachial plexus palsy

M M Al-Qattan et al. Biomed Res Int. 2014.

Abstract

Traditionally, suprascapular nerve reconstruction in obstetric brachial plexus palsy is done using either the proximal C5 root stump or the spinal accessory nerve. This paper introduces another potential donor nerve for neurotizing the suprascapular nerve: the phrenic nerve communicating branch to the C5 root. The prevalence of this communicating branch ranges from 23% to 62% in various anatomical dissections. Over the last two decades, the phrenic communicating branch was used to reconstruct the suprascapular nerve in 15 infants. Another 15 infants in whom the accessory nerve was used to reconstruct the suprascapular nerve were selected to match the former 15 cases with regard to age at the time of surgery, type of palsy, and number of avulsed roots. The results showed that there is no significant difference between the two groups with regard to recovery of external rotation of the shoulder. It was concluded that the phrenic nerve communicating branch may be considered as another option to neurotize the suprascapular nerve.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A diagram of the communicating branch from the phrenic nerve to the C5 root.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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