Long-term follow-up results of a pediatric brachial plexus laceration

A rare case of pediatric brachial plexus laceration is presented. A five-year-old boy who sustained a sharp laceration on his right axillary region was immediately operated. The axillary artery, radial, ulnar and musculocutaneous nerve branches of the brachial plexus, and the lateral root of the median nerve were totally lacerated. The medial root of the median nerve was partially transected. All of the lacerated brachial plexus elements and axillary artery were immediately repaired. Significant functional recovery was determined even six months after the repair. Motor and sensory functions of the affected extremity were almost totally restored at the postoperative 21st month, except for the ulnar nerve motor functions. There was no cold intolerance or trophic change at the injured extremity. Primary repair of a brachial plexus laceration injury in the pediatric population can be expected to produce successful functional recovery results, even in a relatively short period after the repair.

Pediatrik brakiyal pleksus kesisinin uzun dönem takip sonuçlarý

Bu yazýda nadir bir pediatrik brakial pleksus kesisi olgusu sunuldu. Sað aksiller bölgeyi etkileyen kesici cisim yaralanmasýna maruz kalan beþ yaþýndaki erkek çocuk acil olarak ameliyata alýndý. Aksiller arter, brakial pleksusun radial, ulnar ve muskulokutan sinir dallarý ile median sinirin lateral kökü tam olarak kesilmiþti. Median sinirin medial kökü ise parsiyel kesilmiþti. Brakiyal pleksusun kesilen tüm elemanlarý ve aksiller arter acil olarak onarýldý. Onarýmdan altý ay sonra bile belirgin bir fonksiyonel iyileþme saptandý. Ameliyat sonrasý 21. ayda, etkilenen ekstremitenin motor ve duyu fonksiyonlarý, ulnar sinir motor fonksiyonlarý dýþýnda, tama yakýn düzeldi. Yaralanan ekstremitede soðuk intoleransý veya atrofik deðiþiklikler gözlenmedi. Pediatrik yaþ grubunda brakiyal pleksus kesici yaralanmalarýnýn primer onarýmý, onarýmdan sonra görece kýsa sürede bile, baþarýlý fonksiyonel iyileþme sonuçlarý verebilir.