Chronic invasive electrical stimulation at treatment of obstetric brachial plexus injury

Abstract

Introduction. Annually up 0.35 to 5 to 1000 of newborns suffer severe injury of brachial plexus at delivery. The majority of newborns require surgery to restore proper functioning of brachial plexus.Materials and methods. 22 patients with implications of injury of brachial plexus at delivery underwent surgery during which the electrical stimulation system has been implanted. We performed neurolysis and decompression of neural structures of brachial plexus in all of patients, followed by implantation of platinum-based electrodes upon abovementioned neural structures of brachial plexus. Every single patient who underwent surgery applied individual system for prolonged electrical stimulation “Нейси-3M”. This individual system allows one to perform electrical stimulation several times a day during a long period of time, this approach significantly increases the efficacy of treatment.Results. In 19 (86%) patients range of motion improved significantly, strength of muscles of shoulder and upper extremity, sensation also improved significantly.Conclusion. Prolonged electrical stimulation of structures of brachial plexus is safe and effective method of influence on functional status of injured at delivery neuromuscular apparatus of upper extremity.