The diagnostic and treatment characteristics of birth injury to the brachial plexus in children and adolescents
Bersnev, V.P.; Margolin, E.G.
Zhurnal Voprosy Neirokhirurgii Imeni N. N. Burdenko 3: 16-19
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-8817 PMID: 7483949 Document Number: 441549
From 1980 to 1994, a total of 73 patients were treated at the Russian Research Surgery Institute named after A. L. Polenov for damage to the brachial plexus during birth injury. The authors proposed an original procedure for treating these patients. This involved conservative therapy, surgical intervention on the brachial plexus and correction of the arm locomotor apparatus by orthopedic techniques. The conservative treatment were performed by original methods: namely in combination with hyperbaric oxygenation, low-energy laser exposure of the brachial plexus or by administering cholinesterase agents into the bioenergetic points, followed by electrostimulation of the neuromuscular apparatus. The original conservative treatment led to a significantly improved arm function in 53% of the patients. If the conservative therapy failed, obstacles to the restoring the conduction of the brachial plexus were eliminated via operations (neurolysis, suture, autoplasty, reinnervation). The operation gave the benefit to 74% in whom conservative therapy turned out to be ineffective. If surgical recovery of the brachial plexus failed, arm locomotor intervention was applied.