The problems of repairing spinal roots after brachial plexus avulsion
injuries are discussed in the light of current surgical diagnosis and
treatment. An advancing understanding of the cellular mechanisms of ne
rve regeneration and progress in surgical technology indicates a possi
bility for the repair at least of ventral roots with grafts which may
be of neural or non-neural origin. Enhancement of the regenerative pro
perties may further be made possible by the application of neurotrophi
c factors at the repair site or centrally. The short and long-term imp
lications of current research into these methods are discussed.