title: Timing for brachial plexus injury: a personal experience.
abstract: This article is a presentation of personal experience and resultant views by the author on the timing of surgery for nerve injury, especially that for brachial plexus injuries. The author presents arguments for early and delayed surgery based on the type of injury encountered and examines how early nerve repair on all might preclude spontaneous recovery. On the other hand, neglect of repair or greatly delayed repair is also deleterious because many useful outcomes can be gained by a well timed nerve repair or transfer. This is part of a Point-Counterpoint discussion with Dr. Rolfe Birch's presentation of "The London Experience."
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. dkline@lsuhsc.edu
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kline
mesh_terms: D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D018579:Patient Selection; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment