The importance of the preoperative clinical parameters and the intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring in brachial plexus surgery.

OBJECTIVE The study aims to demonstrate the impact of some preoperative clinical parameters on the functional outcome of patients sustaining brachial plexus injuries, and to trace some commentaries about the use of intraoperative monitoring techniques. METHOD A retrospective study one hundred cases of brachial plexus surgery. The analysis regarding postoperative outcomes was performed by comparing the average of the final result of the surgery for each studied cohort. RESULTS Direct electrical stimulation was used in all patients, EMG in 59%, SEPs in 37% and evoked NAPs in 19% of the cases. Patients in whom the motor function of the hand was totally or partially preserved before surgery, and those in whom surgery was delayed less than 6 months demonstrated significant (p<0.05) better outcomes. CONCLUSION The preoperative parameters associated to favorable outcomes in reconstruction of the brachial plexus are a good post-traumatic status of the hand and a short interval between injury and surgery.