Surgical treatment for pain after brachial plexus avulsion

Abstract

Objective To study dorsal root entry zone -otomy (DREZotomy) for the treatment of pain after brachial plexus avulsion. Methods 58 patients suffering from intractable pain after brachial plexus avulsion were treated by DREZotomy in a state of general anesthesia.The patients' ages ranged from 30 to 71 years old.The patients' pain duration was form 6 months to 50 years.The pain intensity was quantified by visual analog scale (VAS).Results All patients were relieved of their preoperative pain after the operation.The short - term (6 months) follow - up results indicated a satisfactory pain relief in 87.9％ of patients.At 12 months after DREZotomy,the excellent or good effect was showed in 84.5％ of patients,whereas at 24 months in 80.0％.There was no serious complication.Conclusions DREZotomy is an effective and safe treatment for patients with pain after brachial plexus avulsion. Key words: Brachial plexus avulsion; Pain; Dorsal root entry zone; Microsurgery