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Birth brachial plexus injury usually affects the upper roots. In most cases, spontaneous reinnervation occurs in a variable degree. This aberrant reinnervation leaves characteristic deformities of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. Common sequelae are the internal rotation and adduction deformity of the shoulder, elbow flexion contractures, forearm supination deformity, and lack of wrist extension and finger flexion. Nowadays, the strategy in the management of obstetrical brachial plexus palsy focuses in close follow-up of the baby up to 3-6 months and if there are no signs of recovery, microsurgical repair is indicated. Nonetheless, palliative surgery consisting of an ensemble of secondary procedures is used to further improve the overall function of the upper extremity in patients who present late or fail to improve after primary management. These secondary procedures include transfers of free vascularized and neurotized muscles. We present and discuss our experience in treating early and/or late obstetrical palsies utilizing the above-mentioned microsurgical strategy and review the literature on the management of brachial plexus birth palsy.

Successful free vascularized bone transfers have revolutionized the limb salvage and musculoskeletal reconstruction. The free vascularized fibula remains the mainstay in bone reconstruction combines the benefits of blood supply, biological potential, and callus formation with its unique biomechanical characteristics offering a supreme candidate for various dissolvable issues. Especially in conditions where there was lack of other applicable method and the free vascularized fibular graft was introduced as the only alternative. Extensive traumatic bone loss, tumor resection, femoral head osteonecrosis and congenital defects have been managed with exceptional results beyond expectations. The present manuscript updates several issues in application of free vascularized fibular graft in extremity and trunk reconstruction. It also highlights tips and pearls of surgical technique in some crucial steps of harvesting the vascularized fibular graft in order to offer a vascularized bone with safety and low donor site morbidity.

Large skeletal defects of the upper extremity pose a serious clinical problem with potentially deleterious effects on both function and viability of the limb. Recent advances in the microsurgical techniques involved in free vascularized bone transfers for complex limb injuries have dramatically improved limb salvage and musculoskeletal reconstruction. This study evaluates the clinical and radiographic results of 18 patients who underwent reconstruction of large defects of the long bones of the upper extremity with free vascularized fibular bone grafts. Mean patient age was 27 years (7−43 years) and mean follow-up was 4 years (1−10 years). The results confirm the value of vascularized fibular grafts for bridging large bone defects in the upper extremity. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 2011.

Massive bony defects of the lower extremity are usually the result of high-energy trauma, tumor resection, or severe sepsis. Vascularized fibular grafts are useful in the reconstruction of large skeletal defects, especially in cases of scarred and avascular recipient sites, or in patients with combined bone and soft-tissue defects. Microvascular free fibula transfer is considered the most suitable autograft for reconstruction of the middle tibia because of its long cylindrical straight shape, mechanical strength, predictable vascular pedicle, and hypertrophy potential. The ability to fold the free fibula into two segments or to combine it with massive allografts is a useful technique for reconstruction of massive bone defects of the femur or proximal tibia. It can also be transferred with skin, fascia, or muscle as a composite flap. Proximal epiphyseal fibula transfer has the potential for longitudinal growth and can be used in the hip joint remodeling procedures. Complications can be minimized by careful preoperative planning of the procedure, meticulous intraoperative microsurgical techniques, and strict postoperative rehabilitation protocols. This literature review highlights the different surgical techniques, indications, results, factors influencing the outcome, and major complications of free vascularized fibular graft for management of skeletal or composite defects of the lower limb.

The varying degrees of spontaneous reinnervation that occur in untreated obstetrical brachial plexus palsy leave characteristic deformities of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist, and hand. Common sequelae are internal rotation and adduction deformity of the shoulder, elbow flexion contractures, forearm supination deformity, and lack of wrist extension and finger flexion. Early microsurgical reconstruction of the affected plexus leads to a more rewarding overall function of the upper arm, but residual deformities might appear later which are similar, although less serious, than those observed in untreated cases. Secondary procedures of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and hand will improve the appearance and function of the upper extremity in late cases of obstetrical brachial plexus. Careful preoperative planning is mandatory and a multistage approach should be applied, depending on the type of palsy and the age of the patient.

The brachial plexus is a complex network of nerves which extends from the neck to the axilla and which supplies motor, sensory, and sympathetic fibers to the upper extremity. Generally it is formed by the union of the ventral primary rami of the spinal nerves, C5-C8 and T1, the so-called "roots" of the brachial plexus. The goal here is to examine the neural architecture of the brachial plexus. The most constant arrangement of nerve fibers will be delineated, and then the predominant variations in neural architecture will be defined, particularly the prefixed and postfixed plexus, as well as the microanatomy and anatomy of the major terminal branches of the plexus. Multiple tracts connect many parts of the nervous system, and multiple ascending and descending tracts connect the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and lower spinal centers with the brain. This reflects that the nervous system is able to extract different pieces of sensory information from its surroundings and encode them separately, and that it is able to control specific aspects of motor behavior using different sets of neurons. Examination of the major sensory or motor pathways reveals a highly and tightly organized nervous system. In particular, at each of many levels, we see fairly exact maps of the world within the brain. In an effort to understand the functional neuroanatomy of the brachial plexus, this paper will focus briefly on the nervous connections of the nerves of the upper extremity with the brain. The goal here is to better understand "what the brain sees" after nerve injury and repair.

The purpose of this study was to assess the maximum rapid intraoperative elongation of the rat sciatic nerve with the use of tissue expander, and its possible functional recovery. One hundred and eight rats were divided into five groups, and their right sciatic nerves were expanded with a 10-cc, 12-cc, 14-cc, 16-cc, and 18-cc expander, respectively, for 1 h. The functional recovery of the nerve was assessed at intervals up to 3 months, using the sciatic function index (SFI), neurophysiological indices, and histology. The maximum intraoperative elongation was observed in group IV (16-cc volume of tissue expander), at about 23.83%. SFI decreased between the first and seventh postoperative days, but gradually recovered, reaching preoperative values in all groups according to the formulas of De Medinaceli et al. (Exp. Neurol. 77:634-643, 1982) and Bain et al. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 83:129-136, 1989). Latency and motor conduction velocity demonstrated deterioration after expansion, which peaked after surgery. Recovery was gradually completed by the end of the experiment. The histological findings indicated minor aberrations immediately after expansion and maximal demyelination with axonal disruption on day 15. The reparative process started by day 30 and continued until day 90, when almost no histological changes were observed. In conclusion, intraoperative nerve expansion successfully elongates the rat sciatic nerve up to 23.83%. But it causes functional and morphological abnormalities, which are of moderate to severe degree, are of short duration, and are reversible. Intraoperative nerve expansion might be a valuable solution in the treatment of short nerve gaps, but its clinical application still needs to be evaluated. Microsurgery

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of reinnervation using end-to-side neurorrhaphy in the upper extremity of the rabbit. The cut right ulnar nerve was repaired and sutured to the side of the median nerve about 3 cm above the elbow joint. The extent of reinnervation was quantitatively evaluated, as well as the integrity of the intact donor nerve in 36 rabbits randomly treated with fresh or delayed nerve repair with or without perineurotomy. Evaluations included nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of both the ulnar and medial nerves, dry muscle weight, and histologic examination (neurofilament stain and morphometric assessment) at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. NCV recovery rates were 79% and 87% for the ulnar nerve, and 89% and 94% for the median nerve compared to contralateral intact nerves, at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Flexor carpi ulnaris muscle mass measurements revealed a recovery in dry muscle weight of about 81% and 88% at 3 and 6 months, respectively, compared to the intact contralateral flexor carpi ulnaris. Histologic studies with neurofilament staining reveal numerous axonal sprouts at the distal end of the median nerve, indicative of myelinated axonal regeneration. Morphometric analysis demonstrated no difference between fresh and delayed repairs. These results indicate that in the upper extremity of rabbits, end-to-side neurorrhaphy permits axonal regeneration from the intact donor nerve, and is associated with satisfactory recovery. The effect of the procedure on the donor nerve was negligible.

In the past, the attitude toward surgical repair of sciatic and peroneal nerve lesions was excessively pessimistic. Refinements of microsurgical technique, nerve conduction studies, and the establishment of indications and optimal timings for surgical interventions have led to significant improvements in outcomes, making repair worthwhile in most cases. Tendon transfers can augment functional outcomes, and are performed as secondary procedures or (in selected cases) in combination with the initial repair. Developments in the basic sciences, bioengineering, and medical imaging may further improve the results of management of these serious nerve injuries.

This study was designed to quantitatively assess long-term end-to-side neurorrhaphy in rabbits. The cut right ulnar nerve was repaired and sutured to the median nerve, in which a perineurial window was created in an end-to-side fashion 3 cm above the elbow joint. Both the extent of the reinnervation and the integrity of the intact donor nerve were evaluated in 36 rabbits randomly treated with fresh or delayed nerve repair. Evaluations included motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), dry muscle weight (DMW), and histological examinations at 9 and 12 months postoperatively. The recovery rates of MNCV were 90.1% and 92.8% for the ulnar nerve, and 95.7% and 96.8% for the median nerve, compared to intact contralateral nerves at 9 and 12 months, respectively. MNCV was not detectable for the ulnar nerve in control animals, while it was normal for the median nerve. Recoveries of flexor carpi ulnaris dry muscle weight of about 90.7% and 94.5% were observed at 9 and 12 months postoperatively, respectively. However, muscle mass measurements revealed a recovery of only 31.3% and 27% for control groups at 9 and 12 months postoperatively. The differences between experimental groups and control groups were statistically significant (P < 0.01). Neurofilament and silver stains showed numerous sprouting axons originating from the median nerve to the ulnar nerve. The results indicate that end-to-side neurorrhaphy could induce axonal sprouting from the main nerve trunk of upper limbs in rabbits, leading to useful functional recovery.

Brachial plexus injuries may result in devastating paralysis, especially if they involve all the roots. The upper roots are often traumatized, and therefore elbow flexion is usually lost. The prognosis of these injuries is grave if root avulsions are present and the paralysis includes the hand as well. The current management of brachial plexus injuries should be early, aggressive microsurgical reconstruction of the plexus, combining various neurotizations with intraplexus and extraplexus nerve donors. Following this principle, we present the results of musculocutaneous neurotization in our unit, as well as a review of the literature on this subject. Our results are comparable to those reported in the literature, and indicate that the strongest function is achieved after neurotization via intraplexus donors, while some extraplexus donors (i.e., phrenic and accessory nerve) can offer equally strong elbow flexion, especially if they are used in combination. Neurotization of the musculocutaneous nerve should be one of the primary goals in the reconstruction of the injured plexus, since the return of elbow flexion is of paramount importance in daily activity. The restoration of function is ensured if the stronger and healthier motor donors are dedicated to the neurotization of the musculocutaneous nerve. Sometimes in order to match the axonal number of the target to the lower number of axons offered by the donors, two or more donor nerves may be driven to the same target, such as the musculocutaneous nerve.

The evolution of microsurgery popularized the free functioning muscle transfers as secondary procedures to reanimate paralyzed extremities after severance of the brachial plexus, especially when the surgeon deals with late cases. Studies considering transplantation, describe thrombophilic factors as a cause of severe complications after transplantation, such as acute or early rejection episodes, delayed graft function, or chronic graft dysfunction. It is the first time that thrombophilia associated with free muscle-graft rejection is reported. A young man who had two free functional muscle transfers for brachial plexus reconstruction in the same forearm within an interval of 6 months. The free functional muscle transfer was failed in both cases because of vein thrombosis and subsequent arterial clot. The possibility of thrombophilia was investigated and during the genetic investigation it was discovered that he was heterozygous for the mutations of factor V, G1691A-Leiden, A4070G and homozygous for the MTHFR C677T mutation.

Massive bony defects of the lower extremity are usually the result of high-energy trauma, tumor resection, or severe sepsis. Vascularized fibular grafts are useful in the reconstruction of large skeletal defects, especially in cases of scarred and avascular recipient sites, or in patients with combined bone and soft-tissue defects. Microvascular free fibula transfer is considered the most suitable autograft for reconstruction of the middle tibia because of its long cylindrical straight shape, mechanical strength, predictable vascular pedicle, and hypertrophy potential. The ability to fold the free fibula into two segments or to combine it with massive allografts is a useful technique for reconstruction of massive bone defects of the femur or proximal tibia. It can also be transferred with skin, fascia, or muscle as a composite flap. Proximal epiphyseal fibula transfer has the potential for longitudinal growth and can be used in the hip joint remodeling procedures. Complications can be minimized by careful preoperative planning of the procedure, meticulous intraoperative microsurgical techniques, and strict postoperative rehabilitation protocols. This literature review highlights the different surgical techniques, indications, results, factors influencing the outcome, and major complications of free vascularized fibular graft for management of skeletal or composite defects of the lower limb.

Intrinsic haemangioma of the median nerve is an extremely rare tumor that represents a challenge to diagnose and treat. Only a few cases have been reported in the literature. We present a 10-year-old girl who was diagnosed having an intrinsic haemangioma of the median nerve and treated with total surgical resection of the tumor, under high magnification, using microneurolysis and without the need to resect and graft the median nerve. Three years later, the patient is free of symptoms and no recurrence of the mass was noticed. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2008.