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Tendon transfer can aid active wrist extension after birth-related brachial plexus injury

Ruchelsman DE. J Pediatr Orthoped. 2011. doi:10.1097/BPO.0b013e3182adcc0.

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Absent active wrist extension following a brachial plexus injury that occurs during birth can be countered via tendon transfer, according to researchers in the United States.

The researchers added that worse outcomes are possible in more severe global palsy cases.

The group investigated 21 children who underwent tendon transfer for the reconstruction of active wrist extension during a 10-year period. According to the study abstract, eight patients had C5, C6, or C7 injuries and 13 had global palsy. The average age at the time of surgery was 5.5 years. The Duclos and Gilbert functional scales were used to ascertain wrist extension restoration.

With a mean follow-up of 36 months, 14 (66%) of the children – eight in the C5/C6/C7 group and six in the global group — were able to display active wrist extension of 30· or greater. The researchers reported in the abstract that three patients in the global injury subcohort displayed static extension within the wrist. Further, they added, four failures occurred within the global palsy group.