The evaluation of function of the flail upper limb classification system: Its application to unilateral brachial plexus injuries

Abstract

The evaluation of function of the flail upper limb (EFFUL) classification system measures in numerical terms the improvement achieved through hand surgery and hand therapy in patients with peripheral nerve injuries. To research the effectiveness of the EFFUL system a study was conducted that included 103 adult traumatic brachial plexus palsies. The measurement of upper limb function has 2 distinct phases: function without adaptation and function with adaptation. Patients will naturally adapt in order to cope whether we encourage them or not. This jump in gain of function by adaptation is a bonus that cannot be measured for comparison with other patients because each patient is different. Differences include factors such as each individual's personal pattern of adaptation with or without assistive devices, intelligence, dominant hand, and, in particular, motivation. Measurement of preoperative and postoperative function (with its associated hand therapy) therefore may not include adaptation. The EFFUL system is a method developed to measure unadapted function; it measures residual function of the flail upper arm using practical, everyday tasks performed by the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand, ie, all upper limb regions. It is a ranking system with a hierarchy of increasingly higher demands placed on function until normal function has been achieved. The execution of the tasks focuses on 2-handed coordination and hand dominance. The score is divided into no function, minimal nondominant arm function, supportive arm (nondominant side) function, minimal dominant arm function, useful arm function as done by the dominant arm, and normal arm function. These descriptive scores are subdivided into scores ranging from 0 to 10. Thus, the EFFUL classification system is an objective method of measuring residual function before and after treatment. The clinical examination and functional evaluation ought to have equal significance in the final report on outcome. This approach to upper limb function is holistic but does not generalize in broad terms. An EFFUL-o-gram (patient profile) is used to record the progress and outcome of each individual patient.