Improvement in motor function after brachial plexus surgery.

Motor functional recovery of 52 patients with brachial plexus surgery followed up for more than 2 years was evaluated. Fifty-eight surgical procedures were done, including autologous nerve grafting (38 cases), neurolysis (14 cases), and neurotization (6 cases). Overall results, evaluated according to the 0 to 5 formula of the Medical Research Council, were as follows: good, 58%; fair, 15%; and poor, 27%. Good results were evident in 58% of patients with nerve grafts and in 64% of those with neurolysis. In patients with neurotization, no good recovery and only one fair recovery were seen. Patients with open injuries showed good recovery, whereas the group with closed injury showed good recovery in only 48%. Patients with closed injuries caused by traffic accidents showed a worse recovery than those caused by other means. Patients with closed injuries and nerve grafting done within 3 months of injury or neurolysis within 6 months showed better recovery.