Indications and effects of botulinum toxin A for obstetric brachial plexus injury: a systematic literature review.
OBJECTIVE
To give an overview of indications for the use of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) treatment for children with obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI), and to present the best available evidence of the effectiveness of this treatment.


METHODS
Searches were performed in Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science, using the keywords 'botulinum' and 'plexus', to identify articles reporting on the use of BoNT-A as a treatment for children with OBPI. Studies found through the references of related articles were also selected.


RESULTS
Ten full-text papers and six congress abstracts were included, involving 343 children. Four groups of indications could be identified: internal rotation/adduction contracture of the shoulder, limited active elbow flexion, limited active elbow extension, and pronation contracture of the lower arm. Overall, positive results were reported for all except the indication for limited active elbow extension. However, only one study was comparative in nature; all others were classified as having a low level of evidence. There was a large variation in outcome measures.


CONCLUSIONS
To provide better evidence for the already partly promising results of BoNT-A treatment for children with OBPI, multicentre randomized controlled trials are needed.
Gobets
David
D
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Beckerman
Heleen
H
de Groot
Vincent
V
Van Doorn-Loogman
Miriam H
MH
Becher
Jules G
JG
D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy
D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A