Subscapularis Z-lengthening in children with brachial plexus birth palsy loses efficiency at mid-term follow-up: a retrospective cohort study

Subscapularis Z-plasty With Coracoidectomy for Internal Rotation Contracture in Children With Brachial Plexus Birth Injury

OBJECTIVES

Brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI) is a rare dystocia complication. Although it has a good prognosis, a significant number retain functional impairment to varying degrees. The data concerning shoulder function improvement and complication rates are conflicting due to variations in outcome measures between the studies. Therefore, we report our experience with this approach.

METHODS

It was a retrospective study conducted at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh (FSH&RC), Saudi Arabia. Data such as patient demographics, Mallet scores, and passive external rotation (PER) in adduction and abduction were retrieved from the medical records.

RESULTS

In active shoulder function, Mallet score significantly improved (P=0.00). The improvement was most remarkable in active external rotation movement (P=0.00) followed by hand to the neck. However, no significant gain was observed in active abduction and hand-to-back. At the final follow-up, with a mean of 2.9 years, the improvement in PER in adduction and abduction was maintained. Compared to six months postoperative, no significant difference was found in hand-to-neck, hand-to-back, and total Mallet score.

CONCLUSION

Subscapularis z-lengthening with coracoidectomy was consistently effective in correcting internal rotation contraction in a patient with BPBI. Significant improvements were observed in the Mallet score and PER in adduction and abduction.

Long-term functional outcome of secondary shoulder surgery in brachial plexus birth palsy patients

Multiple secondary surgical procedures of the shoulder, such as soft-tissue releases, tendon transfers, and osteotomies, are described in brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) patients. The long-term functional outcomes of these procedures described in the literature are inconclusive. We aimed to analyze the literature looking for a consensus on treatment options. A systematic literature search in healthcare databases (PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane library, CINAHL, and Web of Science) was performed from January 2000 to July 2020, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The quality of the included studies was assessed with the Cochrane ROBINS-I risk of bias tool. Relevant trials studying BPBP with at least five years of follow-up and describing functional outcome were included. Of 5,941 studies, 19 were included after full-text screening. A total of 15 surgical techniques were described. All studies described an improvement in active external rotation (range 12° to 128°). A decrease in range of motion and Mallet score after long-term (five to 30 years) follow-up compared to short-term follow-up was seen in most studies. The literature reveals that functional outcome increases after different secondary procedures, even in the long term. Due to the poor methodological quality of the included studies and the variations in indication for surgery and surgical techniques described, a consensus on the long-term functional outcome after secondary surgical procedures in BPBP patients cannot be made.

Motion Necessary to Achieve Mallet Internal Rotation Positions in Children With Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy

BACKGROUND

Upper extremity function in children with brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) is assessed with clinical tests such as the Mallet classification, which uses a hand to spine position to assess shoulder internal rotation, or the modified Mallet classification, which adds an additional internal rotation task (hand to belly). Children with BPBP frequently have difficulty performing the hand to spine task. This study compared scapulothoracic and glenohumeral (GH) parameters associated with successful completion of the hand to spine and hand to belly modified Mallet positions.

METHODS

Motion capture measurement of 32 children with BPBP was performed in hand on spine, internal rotation (hand to belly), hand to mouth, and maximal humerothoracic extension positions. Modified Mallet scores were determined by a hand surgeon.

RESULTS

Children with better hand to spine performance demonstrated significantly greater GH extension and a nonsignificant trend toward increased GH internal rotation compared with children with scores <3. Children with better internal rotation position performance demonstrated significantly greater GH internal rotation and no significant difference in GH extension. Hand on spine and internal rotation Mallet scores moderately correlated (Pearson r=0.469); however, 54% of children who could place their palms flat on their bellies could not reach behind their backs.

CONCLUSIONS

Successfully reaching behind one's back requires both internal rotation and extension, representing a multiplanar motion. The hand to belly performance is less affected by extension and should be considered for internal rotation assessment, particularly for children undergoing surgical intervention that may affect internal rotation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II.

Characteristics and outcomes of obstetric brachial plexus palsy in a single Saudi center: an experience of ten years

BACKGROUND

Obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP) is considered a rare, unpredictable, and unavoidable injury of the upper limb. In this study, we presented a retrospective cohort study over a period of ten years in King Faisal Specialists Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to assess the characteristics and functional outcomes of OBPP.

METHODS

Between January 2005 and December 2015, we carried out 125 repairs of OBPP in KFSH&RC. Out of 71 girls and 54 boys, two babies died of unrelated causes, so they were excluded from the review. All medical records of the patients who attended OBPP clinic at KFSH&RC were reviewed, and relative data were extracted. Descriptive measures for categorical variables and categorical variables were presented. Student's t test and Pearson's χ² test were used. The level of statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 123 patients were included in the study with a mean follow-up of 6.1 ± 2.4 years. Of those, 71 (57.7%) were females. Mean age at presentation was 4.2 ± 2.7 months with a birth weight of 3965.9 ± 629.6 g. More than half of the patients (56.1%) sustained the injury in the right side, and 62 patients (50.4%) were classified as Narakas I. Most of the surgeries (96.7%) were nerve grafting. Only 32 (26.0%) patients needed one or more secondary interventions. In the last visit, the mean total score of Mallet was 16.6 ± 2.8. Also, passive external rotation in adduction improved to 38.3 ± 14.5. Last Raimondi hand function grade was 2 ± 1.

DISCUSSION

Our experience demonstrated the value of primary and secondary surgeries in patients with OBPP. Also, we presented the patterns of injury in Saudi patients presented to KFSH&RC.

One-bone forearm osteodesis and biceps re-routing to correct severe supination contracture in a paediatric patient with late obstetric brachial plexus palsy

PURPOSE

The one-bone forearm arthrodesis has been performed to change the position of the forearm in children with fixed supination deformity due to upper extremity neurologic deficit. In this article, we present a retrospective review of children with late obstetric brachial plexus palsy who underwent palliative surgery to correct severe supination contracture by one-bone forearm osteodesis and biceps re-routing. This technique has not been described previously.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, four consecutive patients with upper extremity weakness and severe supination contracture who underwent forearm osteodesis in neutral or slight pronation and biceps re-routing. The average age of patients at the time of surgery was 12 years six months (range, 7-14 years).

RESULTS

The average follow-up was one year ten months (range, 1 year 6 months to 2 years 7 months). The rotation of the forearm set in neutral (3 patients) and 15° pronation (1 patient). No patients noted adverse effects on the shoulder, elbow or wrist, and none missed having forearm rotation.

CONCLUSIONS

One-bone forearm osteodesis and biceps re-routing technique should be considered in some patients with fixed forearm supination deformity and concomitant severe pronation deficit. In this group of patients, repositioning the forearm in a more pronated (or less supinated) position may improve the use of that extremity in activities of daily living. The surgical technique is fairly simple and can be done in a single procedure.

The natural history and management of brachial plexus birth palsy

Brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) is an upper extremity paralysis that occurs due to traction injury of the brachial plexus during childbirth. Approximately 20 % of children with brachial plexus birth palsy will have residual neurologic deficits. These permanent and significant impacts on upper limb function continue to spur interest in optimizing the management of a problem with a highly variable natural history. BPBP is generally diagnosed on clinical examination and does not typically require cross-sectional imaging. Physical examination is also the best modality to determine candidates for microsurgical reconstruction of the brachial plexus. The key finding on physical examination that determines need for microsurgery is recovery of antigravity elbow flexion by 3-6 months of age. When indicated, both microsurgery and secondary shoulder and elbow procedures are effective and can substantially improve functional outcomes. These procedures include nerve transfers and nerve grafting in infants and secondary procedures in children, such as botulinum toxin injection, shoulder tendon transfers, and humeral derotational osteotomy.