Surgery For Brachial Plexus Injury Research Articles

Catastrophic Health Care Expenditure Following Brachial Plexus Injury

Brachial plexus injuries (BPIs) are devastating to patients not only functionally but also financially. Like patients experiencing other traumatic injuries and unexpected medical events, patients with BPIs are at risk of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in which out-of-pocket health spending exceeds 40% of postsubsistence income (income remaining after food and housing expenses). The individual financial strain after BPIs has not been previously quantified. The purpose of this study was to assess the proportion of patients with BPIs who experience risk of CHE after reconstructive surgery. Administrative databases were used from 8 states to identify patients who underwent surgery for BPIs. Demographics including age, sex, race, and insurance payer type were obtained. Inpatient billing records were used to determine the total surgical and inpatient facility costs within 90 days after the initial surgery. Due to data constraints, further analysis was only conducted for privately-insured patients. The proportion of patients with BPIs at risk of CHE was recorded. Predictors of CHE risk were determined from a multivariable regression analysis. Among 681 privately-insured patients undergoing surgery for BPIs, nearly one-third (216 [32%]) were at risk of CHE. Black race and patients aged between 25 and 39 years were significant risk factors associated with CHE. Sex and the number of comorbidities were not associated with risk of CHE. Nearly one-third of privately-insured patients met the threshold for being at risk of CHE after BPI surgery. Identifying those patients at risk of CHE can inform strategies to minimize long-term financial distress after BPIs, including detailed counseling regarding anticipated health care expenditures and efforts to optimize access to appropriate insurance policies for patients with BPIs.

Characterizing the Association of Race and Insurance Status with Resource Utilization in Brachial Plexopathy Surgery

Understanding the link between socioeconomic status and immediate postoperative brachial plexus injury (BPI) management outcomes is critical to mitigating disparities and optimizing postoperative recovery plans. The present study aimed to elucidate the association between socioeconomic status and resource utilization following surgery for BPI. We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult patients (18 years) with a BPI diagnosis from the 2002-2017 National Inpatient Sample. Primary outcomes included home discharge rates, length of stay (LOS), and cost. We used multivariable regressions to analyze outcome measures. A total of 23,755 BPI admissions were identified, 14.67% of whom received surgical intervention. Patients receiving Medicare had lower odds of home discharge compared with privately insured patients (adjusted odds ratio 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.58-0.74; P < 0.001). Medicaid, Medicare, and uninsured patients had 6%-32% longer LOS than privately insured patients (P < 0.001, P= 0.004, and P= 0.006, respectively). Patients in the top income quartile had a 12% increase in costs compared with those in the bottom quartile (P < 0.001). Latinx and Other race groups had 11%-14% increased costs compared with White patients (Latinx P < 0.001, Other P= 0.003). Differences in BPI resource utilization and allocation exist, from increased LOS among non-privately insured and non-White patients to increased BPI treatment costs among patients in higher-income quartiles. Further research is necessary to elucidate how these disparities exist and impact functional outcomes.

Daily Life Impact of Brachial Plexus Reconstruction in Adults: 10 Years Follow-Up

Reconstructive surgery of brachial plexus injury in adults remains a challenge. Short- and midterm follow-up results have been described in terms of impairments, such as muscle strength grading. However, psychologic management has been shown to be a major contributor in long-term results. A new, specific brachial plexus injury scale, including functional and psychologic components, was described. Objectives of this study were: (1) to assess functional long-term brachial plexus reconstruction outcomes; and (2) to validate the Mancuso scale at 10 years of follow-up. Twenty patients with at least 10 years of follow-up were included in the study. Four patients had C5-C6 palsy and 16 had a C5-T1 injury. Shoulder abduction and elbow flexion were assessed with Medical Research Council grades. Shoulder function was evaluated with a Constant score. The 36-item short-form survey (SF36) was used to assess quality of life, and the quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) was used for patient reports of disability. The Mancuso scale was assessed and correlated to the different scores used. At the last follow-up, the Medical Research Council grade was at least grade 3 in 10 cases (50%) of shoulder abduction and in 12 cases (60%) of elbow flexion. The Constant score was 31.4 (SD, 15.1). The SF36 score was 67.5 (SD, 4.25) and the QuickDASH was 50 (SD, 15.9). We found a correlation between the symptom score (Mancuso score) and the different quality-of-life scores (QuickDASH: coefficient, 0.491; SF36: coefficient,-0.565; limitations score: coefficient, 0.445). This study reported results from the Mancuso scale at a minimum of 10 years of follow-up of reconstructive surgery for brachial plexus injury in adults. Correlations between this composite scale and the SF36 and QuickDASH scores suggest construct validity. Therapeutic IV.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of patient-reported outcomes following nerve transfer surgery for brachial plexus injury.

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of nerve transfer surgery for brachial plexus injury (BPI) on patient-reported outcomes. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched and screened in duplicate for relevant studies on September 25, 2019 and repeated June 24, 2020. The patient population included male and female patients who received nerve transfer surgery for BPI. Further inclusion criteria were: (1) all levels of evidence; (2) published in English; (3) conducted in humans; and (4) report of patient-reported outcome. Two reviewers independently abstracted data regarding injury type, surgical technique, surgical timing, follow-up duration, strength, and patient-reported outcome measures. Quality was assessed in duplicate using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies criteria. Twenty-one studies involving 464 participants were included in analyses. The mean age ± SD was 32.4 ± 1.8 (range: 5-77) and 89.2% of included participants were male. The mean time to surgery was 5.6 ± 0.6 months and the mean follow-up time was 48.1 ± 8.4 months. The most used patient-reported outcome was the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), where scores variably improved postoperatively, although the degree of disability remained high. Return to work was reported in five studies, with 66.0% of participants returning to work. Patient satisfaction was assessed in four studies with an overall satisfaction proportion of 64.0%. Pain was assessed in 12 studies using various measures. In studies reporting pain intensity postoperatively, 29.3% of patients were "pain-free" or had "no pain." Patient-reported outcomes following nerve transfer for BPI are infrequently reported in the literature. Although patient-reported outcomes demonstrate variable postoperative improvement, there is evidence of ongoing limitations and postoperative DASH scores report a high degree of ongoing disability. Future studies with greater reporting as well as validation of patient-reported outcomes within BPI are warranted.

Direct Cost of Surgically Treated Adult Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injuries

PurposeThe economic implications of brachial plexus injuries (BPI) in the United States are not well understood. The purpose of our study was to quantify the direct costs associated with surgical treatment of BPI after traumatic injury in adults, which would enable future study of the societal value of surgical reconstruction.MethodsUsing an administrative database of patients with commercial insurance, a cohort of patients aged 18 to 64 years with BPI treated surgically from 2007 to 2015 was assembled and assessed for index admission associated with BPI surgery and all payments toward claims (including medical, surgical, therapy, and pharmacy claims) for 1 year after surgery.ResultsAmong 189 patients undergoing surgery for BPI, median direct payments were $38,816 (interquartile range: $18,209 to $72,411; minimum: $3,512; maximum: $732,641).ConclusionsRelative to recently published data for the indirect cost of traumatic BPI (median: $801,723), direct payments for 1 year after surgical treatment represent 4.6% of the total long-term cost of BPI. In the context of existing literature demonstrating cost-effectiveness in models of BPI surgical care, our data suggest that surgery and other interventions to maximize return to work after traumatic BPI in adults may be beneficial to society.Type of study/level of evidenceEconomic and Decision Analyses IV.

Frequency and Risk Factors for Prolonged Opioid Prescriptions After Surgery for Brachial Plexus Injury

We hypothesized that patients with preoperative opioid prescriptions and diagnoses of depression and anxiety would be at increased risk for prolonged opioid prescriptions after surgery for brachial plexus injury (BPI). Using an administrative database of privately insured patients, we assembled a cohort of BPI surgery patients and a control group of non-BPI patients, matching for age, sex, and year. Pharmacy claims for prescriptions filled for opioids and neuropathic pain medications were examined 12 months before surgery to 180 days after surgery. The primary outcome was prolonged opioid prescription, defined as receiving a prescription 90 to 180 days after the index (BPI surgery or randomly selected date of service for controls). Multivariable regression was used to examine risk factors for postoperative opioid use, including diagnoses of depression, anxiety, drug abuse, tobacco use, and preoperative use of opioids and neuropathic pain medications. A subgroup analysis was performed for opioid-naive BPI patients between 30 days to 1 year before surgery. Among BPI surgery patients (n= 1,936), 27.7% had prolonged opioid prescriptions. Among opioid-naive BPI patients (n= 911), 10.8% had prolonged opioid prescriptions. In controls (n= 19,360), frequency of prolonged opioid prescriptions was 0.11%. Among all BPI patients, after adjustment for age and sex, predictors of prolonged postoperative opioid prescriptions in BPI patients were preoperative opioids, preoperative neuropathic pain medication use, histories of drug abuse, tobacco use, and anxiety. Prolonged postoperative opioids prescriptions after BPI reconstruction are higher than previous estimates among other surgical patients. In addition to establishing normative data among this population, our findings serve to increase awareness of risk factors for prolonged opioids after BPI reconstruction and encourage coordinated multidisciplinary care. Prognostic II.

S113. Intraoperative recording of somatosensory evoked potentials from both peripheral median nerve and proximal upper trunk to assess C5, C6 brachial plexus injury

The prognosis of reconstructive surgery for brachial plexus injuries is related to the localisation of injury, whether the damage exists primarily in the brachial plexus, the spinal nerves distal to the dorsal root ganglia, or at the point of connection with the spinal cord (Jones, 1980). The use of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) to monitor upper extremity nerves during surgery is becoming more accepted as a valid and useful technique to minimize intraoperative nerve injuries (Son et al., 2017). When SEP recording is used in an operating theater, it is valuable for evaluating proximal root lesions (Sugioka, 1984). We present a case illustrating the benefit of utilizing both SSEP from peripheral median nerve (MN) and from brachial plexus lateral cord (LC) and upper trunk (UT) for conducting the surgery procedure. Neurosurgeons decided to do nerve transfer, distal spinal accessory nerve to suprascapular nerve and ulnar nerve branch to musculocutaneous (MC) nerve, as it was found that the lesion might correspond to C5, C6 roots avulsion instead of nerve graft for the initially suspected lateral cord injury. EMG test before surgery and intraoperative muscle MEP mapping technique and SSEP from MN, LC, anterior division of the upper trunk (ADUT) and UT in a 66-year-old patient with total left forearm flexion and shoulder abduction paralysis after motorbike accident occurred 4 months earlier. SSEP protocols (4.1 Hz stimulus rate and 300 sweeps) were already installed in the IONM NIM-eclipse Medtronic device. We used subdermal paired electrodes for MN stimulation and two hooked monopolar electrodes for proximal stimulation (LC, ADUT and UT). The peripheral nerve distal SSEP and proximal brachial plexus SSEP were recorded from spinal Cs2-Fpz, inion-Fpz and C4’-Fpz channels. For muscle MEP and raw EMG were used paired subdermal electrodes in deltoid, biceps, EDC, APB and ADM muscles. EMG: 3 weeks after the accident and 4 days before surgery showed acute denervation in myotomes corresponding to C5, C6 root levels. SNAP of ulnar, median and radial nerves were present. Intraoperatively, muscle MEP did not show responses from LC to biceps and from posterior cord to deltoid muscle. SSEP from MN showed delayed N13 at 23 ms and P(N)20 at 27 ms. SSEP from LC showed N13 at 15 ms and P20 at 20 ms. From ADUT and from the UT SSEP was obtained at cervical level but not from the cortex. At this moment we added another channel Fpz-inion. The UT SSEP was absent in inion-Fpz, C4‘-Fpz while peripheral MN SSEP showed responses at three C2 spinal, inion and cortex levels. We proved the sensory-motor dysfunction of the ADUT, UT and proximally to the site of connection with the spinal cord, both with muscle MEP mapping and SSEP absence (ADUT and UT) at cortical level and neurosurgeons decided to perform a nerve transfer instead of a nerve graft. This report demonstrates a case in which IONM was useful in identifying the lesion site during brachial plexus surgery.

Outcome after brachial plexus injury surgery and impact on quality of life.

The aim of this study was to investigate outcomes after surgery for brachial plexus injury (BPI), not only motor outcomes but also the quality of life of the patients. We operated on 128 consecutive patients with BPI from 1992 to 2012. We documented the information on the injured nerve, level of injury, type of treatment used, timing of surgery, patient age, and preoperative and postoperative motor deficits. In 69 patients who agreed to participate in a quality of life study, additional assessments included functionality, pain, quality of life, patient satisfaction, and psychosocial health. Of patients who underwent only exploration and neurolysis, 35.3% showed a good quality of recovery. Patients who underwent nerve reconstruction using nerve grafting showed a better rate of good quality recovery (56.7%), and the results following nerve transfer depended on the type of transfer used. After surgery, 82.6% of patients showed significant improvement, 82.6% were satisfied, and 81.2% responded positively when asked if they would undergo surgery again if they knew the current result beforehand. Overall, 69.6% patients continued working after surgery. The mean DASH disability score was high (58.7) in the study group. Patients who had early surgery showed a consistently higher DASH score. About 76% of patients reported having pain regularly, and 18.8% reported depression or anxiety. We consider that it is important to report not only muscle recovery, but also other aspects of recovery.

A Population-Based Analysis of Time to Surgery and Travel Distances for Brachial Plexus Surgery

Despite the importance of timely evaluation for patients with brachial plexus injuries (BPIs), in clinical practice we have noted delays in referral. Because the published BPI experience is largely from individual centers, we used a population-based approach to evaluate the delivery of care for patients with BPI. We used statewide administrative databases from Florida (2007-2013), New York (2008-2012), and North Carolina (2009-2010) to create a cohort of patients who underwent surgery for BPI (exploration, repair, neurolysis, grafting, or nerve transfer). Emergency department and inpatient records were used to determine the time interval between the injury and surgical treatment. Distances between treating hospitals and between the patient's home ZIP code and the surgical hospital were recorded. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine predictors for time from injury to surgery exceeding 365 days. Within the 222 patients in our cohort, median time from injury to surgery was 7.6 months and exceeded 365 days in 29% (64 of 222 patients) of cases. Treatment at a smaller hospital for the initial injury was significantly associated with surgery beyond 365 days after injury. Patient insurance type, travel distance for surgery, distance between the 2 treating hospitals, and changing hospitals between injury and surgery did not significantly influence time to surgery. Nearly one third of patients in Florida, New York, and North Carolina underwent BPI surgery more than 1 year after the injury. Patients initially treated at smaller hospitals are at risk for undergoing delayed BPI surgery. These findings can inform administrative and policy efforts to expedite timely referral of patients with BPI to experienced centers.

An Approach to the Supraclavicular and Infraclavicular Aspects of the Brachial Plexus

The surgical approach to the brachial plexus is of great importance during surgery for brachial plexus injuries--obstetric or traumatic. A number of different approaches have been described over the years for these injuries, with each 1 having its own advantages and disadvantages. We describe a novel approach to the supra-clavicular and infra-clavicular aspects of the brachial plexus, which has been used by senior author successfully for the past 15 years. It involves creation of 2 windows, 1 above and 1 below the clavicle in case of adult traumatic plexus injuries. A slight variation of joining the 2 incisions and creation of a laterally based cervicopectoral flap is used for obstetric brachial plexus injuries along with the use of clavicular osteotomy. The advantages of this approach are that it gives rapid access to the brachial plexus; wide exposure can be obtained for all regions of the plexus and donor nerves such as the spinal accessory nerve can be harvested in the same incision.

The Analgesic Effects of Preemptive Gabapentin in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Brachial Plexus Injury—A Preliminary Study

There are reports indicating that gabapentin may have place in the treatment of postoperative pain. No study has evaluated the effects of gabapentin on acute, postoperative pain in patients undergoing surgery for brachial plexus injuries. In this preliminary study, we evaluated gabapentin as preemptive analgesic for intraoperative period and during the acute postoperative period at rest and during movement. Twenty consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for brachial plexus injury were enrolled for the study. Patients randomly received either oral gabapentin 800 mg or placebo capsules 2 hours before surgery. General anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol, at bispectral index value between 40 and 60. Intraoperative fentanyl and propofol requirements were noted. Postoperatively, all patients were alert and pain was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) for 24 hours, both during rest and movement. Whenever VAS score was more than 50 or on patients' demand, ketorolac 30 mg was given as rescue analgesic. The demographics, duration of surgery, and propofol consumption in both groups were comparable. Intraoperative and postoperative heart rate and mean blood pressure were also comparable. Significant difference was noted in intraoperative fentanyl consumption (P=0.03), total dose of rescue analgesic (P=0.004), and VAS score at rest and movement, between the 2 groups; less in gabapentin group as compared with placebo group (P=0.01 and 0.04, at rest and movement, respectively). A single oral dose of gabapentin 800 mg, as preemptive analgesic in patients undergoing surgery for brachial plexus injury is found to be an effective adjunct to intraoperative and postoperative pain. Pain is reduced not only at rest but also during movement.

Nerve Transfers for Adult Traumatic Brachial Plexus Palsy (Brachial Plexus Nerve Transfer)

Adult traumatic brachial plexus injuries can have devastating effects on upper extremity function. Although neurolysis, nerve repair, and nerve grafting have been used to treat injuries to the plexus, nerve transfer makes use of an undamaged nerve to supply motor input over a relatively short distance to reinnervate a denervated muscle. A review of several recent innovations in nerve transfer surgery for brachial plexus injuries is illustrated with surgical cases performed at this institution.

Surgery for brachial plexus injuries

Surgery for brachial plexus injuries

Emergency Versus Delayed Repair of Severe Brachial Plexus Injuries

Emergency or early surgery for brachial plexus injury is advisable because emergency nerve surgery is technically easier and because the overall results are better. In cases involving vascular injury, preoperative arteriography is indispensable. The blood supply must be reestablished and the brachial plexus completely explored and, if possible, repaired. In cases not involving vascular injury, violent trauma with fractures of the shoulder often produces lesions in the same brachial plexus. Regardless of associated vascular or bone injuries, brachial plexus lesions should be repaired within the first days after injury (provided that there are no contraindications related to age or general health). If combined vascular and nerve injuries are involved, immediate emergency surgery is mandatory. With early surgery, exploration is easier, shorter grafts are needed, and neurotization is possible in lesions in which the roots have been pulled out.