Clinical retrospective study of relationship between phrenic nerve lesion and brachial plexus avulsion injuries

Objective To understand the probability of brachial plexus avulsion injuries combined with phrenic nerve lesion and provide the clinical basis for the repair of brachial plexus using phrenic nerve transfer. Methods From January 2011 to January 2014, a retrospective study was carried out on 150 patients with unilateral brachial plexus avulsion injuries. Their phrenic nerve function was evaluated through pre- and intra-operative electromyography. Results The phrenic nerve was normal in 102 cases (68.0%), partially injured in 25 cases (16.7%) and completely injured in 23 cases (15.3%). There was no significant difference in the degree of phrenic nerve lesion between different brachial plexus avulsion injuries, including injury type and property, patients' age and sex, and injured side (P>0.05). Conclusion The patients with brachial plexus root avulsion do not have a high probability of phrenic nerve lesion. Most of the patients have normal phrenic nerve function, so it can be used as the dynamic donor nerve to repair the injured brachial plexus. Key words: Brachial plexus; Phrenic nerve; Electrophysiological examination; Retrospective studies