Abstract
Background. Brachial plexus injury (BPI) leads to severe dysfunction of the upper extremity (UE). Elbow flexion and multiaxial movements in glenohumeral joint (MGHJ) are prioritized in reconstruction strategy. Time-dependent (< 6 months) nerve transfers (NT) allow effective restoring of MGHJ. Late (> 6 months) reconstruction of MGHJ remains completely dependent on transfers of the functional tendon-muscle complexes.
Objective: to compare the outcomes of the classic Elhassan (c) and modified (m) transfer of the lower trapezius muscle (LTT) on recovery of monoaxial MGHJ.
Materials and Methods. Patient (P.) #3 with M4+ recovery of the deltoid muscle (DM) after NT and P. #4 without spontaneous recovery (SR) of DM – forward flexion (FF) was 170° and 0°, respectively, received cLTT. Patient #1 with M4+ recovery of DM after NT and P. #2 with M4+ SR of DM (FF was 160° and 50°, respectively), received mLTT – distal fixation point has been changed from the tendon of the infraspinatus to the tendon of supraspinatus muscle.
Results. Shoulder abduction (ABD) has been restored to 50° in P. #1 and P. #2, while the recovery of the external rotation (ER) has not been achieved – upper arm remained internally rotated (IR). ABD has been restored to 40° and 80° in P. #3 and P. #4; simultaneously +15° and +70° of ER has been restored.
Conclusions. The use of mLTT leads to more effective recovery of monoaxial MGHJ – ABD – 50° vs. 40° after cLTT. The use of cLTT leads to more effective recovery of another monoaxial MGHJ – ER – +15° and +70° vs. IR after mLTT; LTT should only be considered as a complementary surgical procedure, which utilization should cohere with a patient’s requirements to the MGHJ.
References
Chuang DC. Brachial plexus injury: nerve reconstruction and functioning muscle transplantation. Semin Plast Surg. 2010;24(1):57-66. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1253242.
Siqueira MG, Martins RS. Surgical treatment of adult traumatic brachial plexus injuries: an overview. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2011;69(3):528-535. doi: 10.1590/s0004282x2011000400023.
Oatis, Carol A. Chapter 9: Mechanics and Pathomechanics of Muscle Activity at theShoulder Complex in Kinesiology: The Mechanics and Pathomechanics of Human Movement. 2nd ed. Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009., pp.150-188.
Martin E, Senders JT, DiRisio AC, Smith TR, Broekman MLD. Timing of surgery in traumatic brachial plexus injury: a systematic review [published online ahead of print, 2018 May 1]. J Neurosurg. 2018;1-13. doi: 10.3171/2018.1.JNS172068. № 4. С. 121-127.
Strafun SS. Kliniko-elektromiohrafichni stadii denervatsiinoreinnervatsiinoho protsesu u miazakh kintsivok pry ushkodzhenni peryferychnykh nerviv. Travma. 2012. T. 13, № 4. S. 121-127.
Chuang DC. Brachial plexus injury: nerve reconstruction and functioning muscle transplantation. Semin Plast Surg. 2010 Feb;24(1):57-66. doi: 10.1055/s-0030-1253242. PMID: 21286305; PMCID: PMC2887004.
Moore AM (2014) Nerve transfers to restore upper extremity function: a paradigm shift. Front. Neurol.5:40. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2014.00040.
Domeshek LF, Novak CB, Patterson JMM, et al. Nerve Transfers-A Paradigm Shift in the Reconstructive Ladder. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2019;7(6):e2290. Published 2019 Jun 25. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000002290.
Bertelli JA, Ghizoni MF: Very distal sensory nerve transfers in high median nerve lesions. J Hand Surg Am. 2011, 36:387-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2010.11.049.
Moore AM, Wagner IJ, Fox IK: Principles of nerve repair in complex wounds of the upper extremity. Semin Plast Surg. 2015, 29:40-7. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1544169.
Patterson JMM, Russo SA, El-Haj M, Novak CB, Mackinnon SE. Radial Nerve Palsy: Nerve Transfer Versus Tendon Transfer to Restore Function. Hand (N Y). 2022 Nov;17(6):1082-1089. doi: 10.1177/1558944720988126. Epub 2021 Feb 3. PMID: 33530787; PMCID: PMC9608274.
Compton J, Owens J, Day M, Caldwell L. Systematic Review of Tendon Transfer Versus Nerve Transfer for the Restoration of Wrist Extension in Isolated Traumatic Radial Nerve Palsy. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2018 Apr 12;2(4):e001. doi: 10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-18-00001. PMID: 30211383; PMCID: PMC6132323.
Elhassan B. Lower trapezius transfer for shoulder external rotation in patients with paralytic shoulder. J Hand Surg Am. 2014 Mar;39(3):556-62. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsa.2013.12.016. PMID: 24559634.
Oatis, Carol A. Chapter 10: Analysis of the Forces on the Shoulder Complex during Activity in Kinesiology: The Mechanics and Pathomechanics of Human Movement. 2nd ed. Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009., pp.188196.
Matthews WB. Aids to the examination of the peripheral nervous system. J Neurol Sci. 1977;33(1-2):299.
Standartizatsiya v neyrokhirurgii. Chast' 6. Vosstanovitel'naya i funktsional'naya neyrokhirurgiya. Pod red. akademika NAMN Ukrainy, prof. Ye. Pedachenko. Kiev: GU “INKh NAMNU”, 2020. 144 s.
Pshyk Ya. Anatomo-biomekhanichni osoblyvosti budovy plechovoho kompleksu ta vydy yoho poshkodzhennia. Moloda sportyvna nauka Ukrainy : zb. nauk. pr. z haluzi fiz. kultury ta sportu. L., 2009. Vyp. 13, t. 4. S. 144-149.
Chuang DCC, Ma HS. Current Concepts in the Management of Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Injuries: The Taipei Experience. Semin Plast Surg. 2004 Nov;18(4):309–17. doi: 10.1055/s2004-837257. PMCID: PMC2884801.
Gates DH, Walters LS, Cowley J, Wilken JM, Resnik L. Range of Motion Requirements for Upper-Limb Activities of Daily Living. Am J OccupTher. 2016;70(1):7001350010p17001350010p10. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2016.015487.
Hartzler RU, Barlow JD, An KN, Elhassan BT. Biomechanical effectiveness of different types of tendon transfers to the shoulder for external rotation. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2012 Oct;21(10):1370-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2012.01.026. Epub 2012 May 8. PMID: 22572399.
Phillips D, Kosek P, Karduna A. The contribution of the supraspinatus muscle at sub-maximal contractions. J Biomech. 2018 Feb 8;68:65-69. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2017.12.015. Epub 2017 Dec 15. PMID: 29277261; PMCID: PMC5783756.
Vitikainen AM, Salli E, Lioumis P, Mäkelä JP, Metsähonkala L. Applicability of nTMS in locating the motor cortical representation areas in patients with epilepsy. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2013 Mar;155(3):507-18. doi: 10.1007/ s00701-012-1609-5. Epub 2013 Jan 19. PMID: 23328919.
Park H, Choi JY, Yi Sh et al. Relationship between the moreaffected upper limb function and daily activity performance in children with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study. BMC Pediatr. 2021;21;459. doi: 10.1186/s12887-021-02927-2.
Lemmens RJ, Janssen-Potten YJ, Timmermans AA, Defesche A, Smeets RJ, Seelen HA. Arm hand skilled performance in cerebral palsy: activity preferences and their movement components. BMC Neurol. 2014;14:52. doi: 10.1186/1471-2377-14-52.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.