Retrospective Study of 57 Patients Submitted to Dorsal Root Entry Zone Lesioning by Radiofrequency for Brachial Plexus Avulsion Pain.

Brachial plexus avulsion Dorsal root entry zone Neuropathic pain Surgery

Journal

World neurosurgery
ISSN: 1878-8769
Titre abrégé: World Neurosurg
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101528275

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
24 Jun 2023
Historique:
received: 15 06 2023
accepted: 18 06 2023
pubmed: 26 6 2023
medline: 26 6 2023
entrez: 25 6 2023
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning may be used to treat neuropathic pain in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injuries. The clinical outcome after surgery is variable in the medical literature. We aimed to report the surgical outcome after DREZ lesioning by radiofrequency and to analyze prognostic factors such as the presence of a spinal cord injury identified before surgery. We conducted a retrospective study that included 57 patients who had experienced traumatic brachial plexus injuries and exhibited neuropathic pain that did not respond to conservative treatment methods. They were submitted to DREZ lesioning. We defined the inclusion and exclusion criteria, collected sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and identified and classified spinal cord lesions based on magnetic resonance imaging. We applied statistical tests to evaluate the association between pain intensity after surgery and the radiological profile and sociodemographic characteristics. Immediately after surgery, the pain outcome was considered good or excellent in 50 patients (89.28%). At the last follow-up, it was good or excellent in 39 patients (68.43%). There was no association (P > 0.05) between the pain outcome and the variables analyzed (time interval between trauma and DREZ lesioning, presence of spinal cord injury, age, the number of avulsed roots, and the type of pain). DREZ lesioning using radiofrequency represents a significant therapeutic approach for managing neuropathic pain after a traumatic brachial plexus injury. Importantly, we found that the presence of a spinal cord injury is not associated with the surgical outcome.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning may be used to treat neuropathic pain in patients with traumatic brachial plexus injuries. The clinical outcome after surgery is variable in the medical literature. We aimed to report the surgical outcome after DREZ lesioning by radiofrequency and to analyze prognostic factors such as the presence of a spinal cord injury identified before surgery.
METHODS METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study that included 57 patients who had experienced traumatic brachial plexus injuries and exhibited neuropathic pain that did not respond to conservative treatment methods. They were submitted to DREZ lesioning. We defined the inclusion and exclusion criteria, collected sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and identified and classified spinal cord lesions based on magnetic resonance imaging. We applied statistical tests to evaluate the association between pain intensity after surgery and the radiological profile and sociodemographic characteristics.
RESULTS RESULTS
Immediately after surgery, the pain outcome was considered good or excellent in 50 patients (89.28%). At the last follow-up, it was good or excellent in 39 patients (68.43%). There was no association (P > 0.05) between the pain outcome and the variables analyzed (time interval between trauma and DREZ lesioning, presence of spinal cord injury, age, the number of avulsed roots, and the type of pain).
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
DREZ lesioning using radiofrequency represents a significant therapeutic approach for managing neuropathic pain after a traumatic brachial plexus injury. Importantly, we found that the presence of a spinal cord injury is not associated with the surgical outcome.

Identifiants

pubmed: 37356482
pii: S1878-8750(23)00840-9
doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2023.06.077
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Auteurs

Marcio de Mendonça Cardoso (M)

Department of Neurological Surgery, Sarah Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals, Brasilia, Brazil. Electronic address: marcio.mendonca.cardoso@gmail.com.

Ricardo Gepp (R)

Department of Neurological Surgery, Sarah Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals, Brasilia, Brazil.

Henrique Caetano (H)

Department of Neurological Surgery, Sarah Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals, Brasilia, Brazil.

Ricardo Felipe (R)

Department of Neurological Surgery, Sarah Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals, Brasilia, Brazil.

Bernardo Martins (B)

Department of Radiology, Sarah Network of Rehabilitation Hospitals, Brasilia, Brazil.

Classifications MeSH