title: The importance of the preoperative clinical parameters and the intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring in brachial plexus surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to demonstrate the impact of some preoperative clinical parameters on the functional outcome of patients sustaining brachial plexus injuries, and to trace some commentaries about the use of intraoperative monitoring techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study one hundred cases of brachial plexus surgery. The analysis regarding postoperative outcomes was performed by comparing the average of the final result of the surgery for each studied cohort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Direct electrical stimulation was used in all patients, EMG in 59%, SEPs in 37% and evoked NAPs in 19% of the cases. Patients in whom the motor function of the hand was totally or partially preserved before surgery, and those in whom surgery was delayed less than 6 months demonstrated significant (p<0.05) better outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The preoperative parameters associated to favorable outcomes in reconstruction of the brachial plexus are a good post-traumatic status of the hand and a short interval between injury and surgery.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Neurosurgery, Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal, University of Brasília, Brasília DF, Brazil. leandroprettoflores@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Leandro Pretto
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Flores
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult