title: [Management of neuropathic pain after brachial plexus injury in adult patients: a report of 60 cases].
abstract: An observational study including 60 patients with brachial plexus injury was carried out in order to evaluate the rate of chronic pain, to assess the incidence of neuropathies using the questionnaire DN4 and to record the management of pain in these patients. Chronic pain of neuropathic type according to the questionnaire DN4 was found in 95% of the patients. Although 75% of these cases were treated, only 37% of the patients were satisfied. All of these 37% who were relieved of intense pain (EVA<4) or hyperalgic crisis had an appropriate treatment in the early stages. The proportion of cases considered refractory to an appropriate treatment was lower than 2%. An effort to inform the patients and the carers must be made to improve the management of these injuries. The fact that this pathology is rare must lead to a specialized opinion in order to improve pain management.
authors.affiliation: Département d'anesthésie-réanimation et centre d'étude et de traitement de la douleur, université Denis-Diderot Paris VII, hôpital Bichat-Claude-Bernard, AP-HP, 46, rue Henri-Huchard, 75018 Paris, France. jean-luc.vannier@bch.aphp.fr
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vannier
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Belkheyar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oberlin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Montravers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult