[Phrenic nerve transfer treating root avulsion of the brachial plexus]

Abstract

164 patients with injury of root avulsion of the brachial plexus was treated by way of ipsilateral phrenic nerve transfer through a time period from 1970 to 1987. The among 65 cases that had been followed up for 2-13.5 years on average, 55 cases (84.6%) regained muscular strength of 30 or more. None of the patients had any subjective feeling or objective signs of respiratory disturbance, although post- operative machinery tests and laboratory surveys had detected some impairment of pulmonary function, which gradually improved with lapse of time. In conclusion age of the patients, length of the time delayed for surgery, severity of the nerve injury and the operative choice are the determining factors of the final results.