title: Patient outcome following a thoracodorsal to musculocutaneous nerve transfer for reconstruction of elbow flexion.
abstract: This study reports patient outcome following a thoracodorsal to musculocutaneous nerve transfer. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of six patients who had undergone transfer of the thoracodorsal nerve to the musculocutaneous nerve for reconstruction of elbow flexion. The mean age was 47 years (standard deviation: 24 years; range: 17-72 years). The mean time from injury to surgery was 3 months (standard deviation: 2 months; range: 1-5 months). In all cases, the biceps muscle was successfully reinnervated; in one case the Medical Research Council (MRC) muscle grade was grade 5, in four cases it was grade 4, and in one case it was grade 2. No patients complained of functional weakness with shoulder adduction and/or internal rotation. In the majority of cases, transfer of the thoracodorsal nerve to the musculocutaneous nerve provides excellent recovery of elbow flexion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
authors.forename: T H H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries; D004550:Elbow / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009138:Musculocutaneous Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D016067:Nerve Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013900:Thoracic Nerves / Q000637:transplantation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome