OPEN WOUNDS OF THE BRACHIAL PLEXUS

Abstract

1. In the first 1600 of the series of peripheral nerve injuries treated during the years 1940-45 at the Peripheral Nerve Injuries Unit, Oxford, 52 per cent. were due to penetrating wounds, and 6 per cent. of these involved the brachial plexus. 2. A specific method of grouping and grading recovery is described: Group I—lesions of the roots and trunk of C.5, 6; Group II—lesions of the posterior cord; Group III—lesions of C.8, T.1, and the medial cord. 3. The recovery of cases in Group I was good, in Group II fair, and in Group III poor. 4. The brachial plexus was explored on twenty-two occasions. Only in four instances was there interruption of continuity—which is in striking contrast with the frequency in more distal degenerative nerve lesions in open wounds. 5. There is no evidence to suggest that neurolysis influenced motor or sensory recovery, but on one occasion it relieved persistent pain in the limb. In general the correlation between operative findings and prognosis was not precise. 6. With one exception, no recovery of consequence took place in the small muscles of the hand after a lesion in continuity, although galvanic stimulation to all paralysed muscles had been given regularly. 7. There is evidence to suggest that innervation of the biceps may not always be limited to C.5 and 6 and that in a proportion of cases C.7 may make a substantial contribution. 8. In five cases (12 per cent.) Horner's syndrome was present; the causation is discussed. 9. In every case of damage to a main vessel there was a marked tendency to joint stiffness, particularly in the hand, but on one occasion only was there evidence of ischaemic changes in the muscles and nerves. 10. The good spontaneous recovery which occurred in Groups I and II; the poor recovery in Group III even in cases where there was an apparently favourable lesion in continuity; the rarity with which division of nerves was found at operation; and the discouraging results of repair in three cases; make it necessary to conclude that routine exploration of open wounds of the brachial plexus is neither profitable nor justifiable.