Carlos Otto Heise

Efficacy and safety of Oberlin's procedure in the treatment of brachial plexus birth palsy.

BACKGROUND In brachial plexus injuries, when there are no available roots to use as a source for graft reconstruction, nerve transfers emerge as an elective technique. For this purpose, transfer of an ulnar nerve fascicle to the biceps motor branch (Oberlins procedure) is often used. Despite the high rate of good to excellent results in adults, this technique is seldom used in children. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Oberlins procedure in the surgical treatment of brachial plexus birth palsy. METHODS Striving to restore elbow flexion, we performed Oberlins procedure in 17 infants with brachial plexus birth palsy. After follow-up of at least 19 months, primary outcomes were the strength of elbow flexion (modified British Medical Research Council scale), hand function measured using Al-Qattans scale, and comparative x-rays of both hands to detect altered growth. RESULTS Good to excellent results related to biceps contraction were obtained in 14 patients (82.3%) (3/MRC3, 11/MRC4). The preoperative Al-Qattan scale score for the hand was maintained at final follow-up. Comparing the treated and normal limb, no difference was observed in hand development by x-ray. CONCLUSION Oberlins procedure is an effective and safe option for the surgical treatment of upper brachial plexus birth palsy.

A prospective study comparing single and double fascicular transfer to restore elbow flexion after brachial plexus injury.

BACKGROUND The recovery of elbow flexion in upper brachial plexus injury can be achieved by the reinnervation of the biceps muscle (single reinnervation), but concomitant restoration of brachialis and biceps function (double reinnervation) has been recommended to improve elbow flexion strength. OBJECTIVE To prospectively compare morbidity and outcomes of single or double muscle reinnervation in restoring elbow flexion following incomplete injury to the brachial plexus. METHODS Forty consecutive patients were prospectively submitted to single or double muscle reinnervation. Elbow flexion strength was evaluated with a push-and-pull dynamometer 12 months after surgery. Hand morbidity related to the procedures was evaluated by the Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments test, quantification of static 2-point discrimination, and measurements of handgrip and lateral pinch strength in serial evaluations up to the final follow-up. RESULTS Similar results for the strength of elbow flexion were observed in both groups. A worsening of sensibility, measured by using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments, was identified in 8 patients, all of whom showed recovery during follow-up. No worsening of 2-point discrimination was observed. A decrease in handgrip and lateral pinch strength was identified in 8 and 9 patients, respectively, which improved during follow-up. There was no difference between the groups in the incidence of hand motor morbidity parameters. CONCLUSION The strength of elbow flexion did not differ significantly between the groups treated with single or double muscle reinnervation. Deterioration of handgrip, lateral pinch strength, and sensibility measured by using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments, was temporary, resulting in low morbidity for both techniques.

Botulinum toxin for treatment of cocontractions related to obstetrical brachial plexopathy

Botulinum toxin type A was recently introduced for treatment of biceps-triceps muscle cocontraction, which compromises elbow function in children with obstetrical brachial plexopathy. This is our preliminary experience with this new approach. Eight children were treated with 2-3 U/kg of botulinum toxin injected in the triceps (4 patients) and biceps (4 patients) muscle, divided in 2 or 3 sites. All patients submitted to triceps injections showed a long-lasting improvement of active elbow flexion and none required new injections, after a follow-up of 3 to 18 months. Three of the patients submitted to biceps injections showed some improvement of elbow extension, but none developed anti-gravitational strength for elbow extension and the effect lasted only three to five months. One patient showed no response to triceps injections. Our data suggest that botulinum toxin can be useful in some children that have persistent disability secondary to obstetrical brachial plexopathy.

Traumatic injuries of peripheral nerves: a review with emphasis on surgical indication

Traumatic peripheral nerve injury is a dramatic condition present in many of the injuries to the upper and lower extremities. An understanding of its physiopathology and selection of a suitable time for surgery are necessary for proper treatment of this challenging disorder. This article reviews the physiopathology of traumatic peripheral nerve injury, considers the most used classification, and discusses the main aspects of surgical timing and treatment of such a condition.

MOTOR CONDUCTION STUDIES FOR PROGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT OF OBSTETRICAL PLEXOPATHY

Early prognostic assessment of obstetrical brachial plexopathies (OBP) would facilitate rational selection of infants for brachial plexus surgery. We performed bilateral motor nerve conduction studies (MNCS) of axillary, musculocutaneous, radial, median, and ulnar nerves in 33 babies (age 10–60 days) with OBP in order to compare the amplitude of compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs). All babies were followed up until 6 months of age and the outcome was classified according to muscle strength and arm function. A CMAP amplitude reduction of more than 90%, compared to the unaffected side, predicted severe weakness of the corresponding root level (p < 0.01). Our results indicate that MNCS are a useful tool for very early prognostic assessment of OBP. Muscle Nerve 30: 451–455, 2004

Treatment of febrile seizures with intermittent clobazam

Fifty children, 24 female and 26 male, with ages varying from 6 to 72 months (mean = 23.7 m.) that experienced at least one febrile seizure (FS) entered a prospective study of intermittent therapy with clobazam. Cases with severe neurological abnormalities, progressive neurological disease, afebrile seizures, symptomatic seizures of other nature, or seizures during a central nervous system infection were excluded. Seizures were of the simple type in 25 patients, complex in 20 and unclassified in 5. The mean follow-up period was 7.9 months (range = 1 to 23 m.), and the age at the first seizure varied from 5 to 42 months (mean = 16.8 m.). Clobazam was administered orally during the febrile episode according to the childs weight: up to 5 kg, 5 mg/day; from 5 to 10 kg, 10 mg/day; from 11 to 15 kg, 15 mg/day, and over 15 kg, 20 mg/day. There were 219 febrile episodes, with temperature above 37.8 degrees C, in 40 children during the study period. Twelve children never received clobazam and 28 received the drug at least once. Drug efficacy was measured by comparing FS recurrence in the febrile episodes that were treated with clobazam with those in which only antipyretic measures were taken. Ten children (20%) experienced a FS during the study period. Of the 171 febrile episodes treated with clobazam there were only 3 recurrences (1.7%), while of the 48 episodes treated only with antipyretic measures there were 11 recurrences (22.9%), a difference highly significant (p < 0.0001). Adverse effects occurred in 10/28 patients (35.7%), consisting mainly in vomiting, somnolence and hyperactivity. Only one patient had recurrent vomiting which lead to drug interruption. These effects did not necessarily occurred in every instance the drug was administered, being present in one febrile episode and not in the others. We conclude that clonazepam is safe and efficacious in preventing FS recurrence. It may be an alternative to diazepam in the intermittent treatment of FS recurrence.

Morbidity following sural nerve harvesting: A prospective study

OBJECTIVE To evaluate donor site morbidity following sural nerve harvesting, with special attention to the recovery of sensory loss. METHODS We prospectively followed 38 subjects who underwent sural nerve harvest, including two with bilateral nerve excision. Symptoms related to sural nerve excision were evaluated and demarcation of the area with reduced touch sensation was quantified. Assessments were performed periodically up to 1 year after surgery and the results of different sensory evaluations were compared. RESULTS A significant reduction of sensory deficit was identified between consecutive evaluations (p<0.05). Decreases of 26.85%, 20.69% and 24.29% were observed 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery, respectively. Shock-like pain (7.5%), stabbing pain (7.5%), and numbness (5%) were the most frequently reported symptoms. All symptoms were brief and resolved spontaneously 3-6 months after surgery. CONCLUSION Sural nerve harvest can be performed with acceptable morbidity. When present, symptoms resolve between the third and sixth month after surgery and a significant reduction of sensory loss in the area innervated by the sural nerve was observed during the first year of follow-up.

Transfer of a fascicle from the posterior cord to the suprascapular nerve after injury of the upper roots of the brachial plexus: technical case report.

OBJECTIVEA new nerve transfer technique using a healthy fascicle of the posterior cord for suprascapular nerve reconstruction is presented. This technique was used in a patient with posttraumatic brachial plexopathy resulting in upper trunk injury with proximal root stumps that were unavailable for grafting associated with multiple nerve dysfunction. CLINICAL PRESENTATIONA 45-year-old man sustained a right brachial plexus injury after a bicycle accident. Clinical evaluation and electromyography indicated upper trunk involvement. Trapezius muscle function and triceps strength were normal on physical examination. INTERVENTIONThe patient underwent a combined supra- and infraclavicular approach to the brachial plexus. A neuroma-in-continuity of the upper trunk and fibrotic C5 and C6 roots were identified. Electrical stimulation of the phrenic and spinal accessory nerves produced no response. The suprascapular nerve was dissected from the upper trunk, transected, and rerouted to the infraclavicular fossa. A healthy fascicle of the posterior cord to the triceps muscle was transferred to the suprascapular nerve. At the time of the 1-year follow-up evaluation, arm abduction against gravity and external rotation reached 40 and 34 degrees, respectively. CONCLUSIONThe posterior cord can be used as a source of donor fascicle to the suprascapular nerve after its infraclavicular relocation. This new intraplexal nerve transfer could be applied in patients with isolated injury of the upper trunk and concomitant lesion of the extraplexal nerve donors usually used for reinnervation of the suprascapular nerve.

Motor Nerve-conduction Studies in Obstetric Brachial Plexopathy for a Selection of Patients with a Poor Outcome

BACKGROUND The criteria and timing for nerve surgery in infants with obstetric brachial plexopathy remain controversial. Our aim was to develop a new method for early prognostic assessment to assist this decision process. METHODS Fifty-four patients with unilateral obstetric brachial plexopathy who were ten to sixty days old underwent bilateral motor-nerve-conduction studies of the axillary, musculocutaneous, proximal radial, distal radial, median, and ulnar nerves. The ratio between the amplitude of the compound muscle action potential of the affected limb and that of the healthy side was called the axonal viability index. The patients were followed and classified in three groups according to the clinical outcome. We analyzed the receiver operating characteristic curve of each index to define the best cutoff point to detect patients with a poor recovery. RESULTS The best cutoff points on the axonal viability index for each nerve (and its sensitivity and specificity) were <10% (88% and 89%, respectively) for the axillary nerve, 0% (88% and 73%) for the musculocutaneous nerve, <20% (82% and 97%) for the proximal radial nerve, <50% (82% and 97%) for the distal radial nerve, and <50% (59% and 97%) for the ulnar nerve. The indices from the proximal radial, distal radial, and ulnar nerves had better specificities compared with the most frequently used clinical criterion: absence of biceps function at three months of age. CONCLUSIONS The axonal viability index yields an earlier and more specific prognostic estimation of obstetric brachial plexopathy than does the clinical criterion of biceps function, and we believe it may be useful in determining surgical indications in these patients.

Combined nerve conduction index in diabetic polyneuropathy.

UNLABELLED Diabetic polyneuropathy can be confirmed by nerve conduction studies. The data can be analyzed in the form of a combined index instead of individual parameters. METHODS The combined index included five parameters of nerve conduction studies commonly used for evaluation of polyneuropathies. We evaluated sensitivity in 100 diabetic patients with suspected polyneuropathy, and specificity in 200 non-diabetic patients with suspected lumbosacral radiculopathy. All results were expressed in number of standard deviations (SD). RESULTS The sensitivity of the combined index was 81 or 74%, and specificity was 97 or 98%, using respectively -2.0 or -2.5 SD as cutoff. The range of sensitivity of the other parameters was 57-65% or 48-56%, and specificity range was 96-98% or 98-100%, using the same criteria. DISCUSSION The combined index had higher sensitivity and equivalent specificity compared to isolated parameters.