BIRTH-RELATED UPPER BRACHIAL-PLEXUS INJURIES IN INFANTS - OPERATIVE AND NONOPERATIVE APPROACHES

Advances in intraoperative neuroelectrodiagnostic testing and microneu rosurgical techniques have made it possible to accurately explore the brachial plexus of neonates. Since 1987, we have followed 250 infants with birth-related brachial plexus injuries, and successful operations have been completed on more than 70 infants. Fifty infants who underw ent surgery have been followed for more than 18 months. Based on these accumulated data and historical data, this review describes both nono perative and operative approaches to the treatment of birth-related br achial plexus injuries.