Since Ⅰ982, Twenty-five cases of birth injuries of brachial plexus have been treated by microsurgical technipue. The satisfactory result has been obtained. The excellent and good rate are 76 per cent. The operative method included endoneurolysis, anastomosis of nerve, supraclavicular nerve grafting and transposition of phrenic nerve, accessory nerve and cervix motor nerve. In this article, the early diagnosis and differentiel diagnosis, practical physical examination method, and operative technipue were descused.
OBJECTIVE: To study the reconstructional method and effect of shoulder joint function in the older obstetrical palsy with medial rotation contracture deformity. METHODS: From April 1996 to July 1999, 7 patients of older obstetrical palsy were adopted in this study. Among them, there were 5 males and 2 females, aged from 13 to 21 years old. No previous operation history and the main deformity was medial rotation contracture of shoulder. During operation, these patients were treated with "Z"-shape elongation of the tendon of subscapular muscle, transfer of the tendons of latissimus dorsi and teres major muscle to the tendons of supraspinous and infraspinous muscles. RESULTS: Followed up for 6 to 44 months(averaged 19 months), the Gilbert grading and Mallet scoring were 1.57, 7.57 preoperatively versus 3.45, 10.86 postoperatively, the abduction and external rotation of the shoulder joints recovered obviously. CONCLUSION: It is an effective operation for the older obstetrical palsy with medial rotation contracture of shoulder.
Objective To study the treatment method and effect of abduction and lateral rotation l imitation of the shoulder in obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP). Methods From February 2005 to August 2008, 11 patients with abduction and lateral rotation l imitation of the shoulder in OBPP were treated with dissection of the origin of subscapular muscle,transfer of the tendons of latissimus dorsi and teres major muscle to the tendons of supraspinous and infraspinous muscles. Among them, there were 6 males and 5 females with a mean age of 6 years (1-15 years). The main cl inical manifestations showed adduction, internal rotation contracture deformity of shoulder, l imited active and passive external rotation and severely restricted active abduction of shoulder. The passive abduction was more than 90°. According to Gilbert grading, there were 7 cases of grade 1 and 4 cases of grade 2. Based on Mallet score systems, the scores were 5 points in 3 cases, 6 points in 3 cases, and 7 points in 5 cases. The muscle strength of deltoid, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres major muscle and latissimus dorsi all reached 3-4 grades. Results One patient developed postoperative hematoma, wound healed after symptomatic management. Other patients achieved incision heal ing by first intention. All patients were followed up for 12 to 37 months (17 months on average). The active abduction and external rotation of the shoulder joints recovered obviously. The Gilbert grading were grade 2 in 1 case, grade 3 in 1 case, and grade 4 in 9 cases; the Mallet scores were 10 points in 1 case, 11 points in 2 cases, 12 points in 4 cases, 13 points in 3 cases, and 14 points in 1 case; showing significant differences when compared with those before operation(P lt; 0.01). The muscle strength of deltoid, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres major muscle and latissimus dorsi increased to 4-5 grades. Conclusion The dissection of the origin of subscapular muscle, transfer of the tendons of latissimus dorsi and teres major muscle to the tendons of supraspinous and infraspinous muscles can resolve shoulder adduction, internal rotation contracture, and can enhance abduction, external rotation strength. It is an effective operation for abduction and lateral rotation l imitation of the shoulder in OBPP.
Objective To evaluate the value of MRI in diagnosis of obstetrical brachial plexus palsy pre-gangl ionic injury. Methods From November 2006 to February 2008, 10 patients with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy were treated, 8 males and 2 females, aged from 2 months to 3 years (11.4 months on average). There were 7 cases of left side and 3 of right side.According to Tassin classification, 2 cases were type II, 6 type III and 2 type IV. All patients were performed MRI examinations before the operation, whose results were compared with those of exploration during the operation. Results MRI examinations showed 1 patient was normal and 9 patients had post-traumatic spinalmeningolcele. The 6 patients had displacement of spinal cord (4 towards the healthy side and 2 towards the sick side), 6 had deformity of spinal cord, and 2 had avulsed nerve root thickening. MRI detected 19 nerve roots were positive, 16 were true positive and 3 false positive in surgical exploration. MRI detected 6 nerve roots were negative, 4 were true negative and 2 false negative in surgical exploration. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRI in diagnosis of obstetrical brachial plexus palsy pre-gangl ionic injury were 84.2%, 80.0% and 83.3%, respectively. There were significant differences in the results by preoperative MRI examinations and by exploration during the operation (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion MRI can show pre-gangl ionic injury of brachial plexus of the patients with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy and can supply references for early diagnosis and operation time. MRI can be routinely conducted as a preoperative examination.