Surgery for internal rotation contracture in infancy may obviate the need for brachial plexus nerve reconstruction: early experience

BACKGROUND

Shoulder internal rotation contracture and subluxation in the first year of life has long been recognized in some patients with brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI). Surgical management of shoulder pathology has traditionally been undertaken following nerve reconstruction as necessary. In some patients; however, shoulder pathology may impair or obscure functional neuromuscular recovery of the upper extremity. As a proof of concept, we report a highly selected subset of patients with BPBI in whom shoulder surgery undertaken before one year of age obviated the need for neuroma resection and nerve grafting.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of all patients with upper trunk BPBI who underwent shoulder surgery before one year of age from 2015 to 2018. Upper extremity motor function was evaluated with preoperative and postoperative Active Movement Scale scores, Cookie tests, and the requirement for subsequent neuroma resection and nerve grafting.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients with BPBI meeting the inclusion criteria underwent shoulder surgery (including a subscapularis slide and tendon transfers of the teres major and latissimus dorsi muscles) before 1 year of age. Preoperatively, no patients of the appropriate age passed the Cookie test for elbow flexion. Thirteen patients either passed the Cookie test or scored Active Movement Scale score 7 for elbow flexion at or before the last available follow-up undertaken at a median age of 3.4 [1.4, 5.2] years. One of those 13 patients underwent single fascicular distal nerve transfer to improve elbow flexion before subsequently passing the Cookie test. Two patients did not have sufficient follow-up to assess elbow flexion.

CONCLUSION

Although the exact role of shoulder surgery in infancy for BPBI remains to be defined, the findings from this study provide proof of concept that early, targeted surgical treatment of the shoulder may obviate the need for brachial plexus nerve reconstruction in a highly selected group of infants with BPBI.

Anatomic characteristics of supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves relevant to their use in corneal neurotization

BACKGROUND

Corneal denervation can lead to opacification and blindness. A new treatment technique, surgical corneal neurotization, transfers healthy donor nerve, (most commonly contralateral supratrochlear or supraorbital) to the affected limbus to prevent corneal destruction and improve healing potential of the cornea following insult. We examine gross and histomorphometric anatomy of the supratrochlear and supraorbital nerves relevant to their use in corneal neurotization.

METHODS

For each of nine adult cadaver heads, bilateral supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves were dissected from the supraorbital rim to the anterior hairline. The following data were recorded for each nerve: exit from the orbit through a notch versus foramen; horizontal distance from midline at the supraorbital rim; and distance from orbital exit to first branching point. Samples of all left supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves were obtained at the level of the supraorbital rim and at points 3 cm and 6 cm distally for histomorphometric analysis. Myelinated axon counts were determined for each sample.

RESULTS

Four supraorbital foramina, 14 supraorbital notches, two supratrochlear foramina, and 15 supratrochlear notches were identified. Average supraorbital and supratrochlear distances to midline were 26.5 mm and 21 mm respectively. Average myelinated axon counts for both nerves were greater at the orbital rim (supraorbital: 6018, supratrochlear: 2533) than at 6 cm distally (supraorbital: 1621, supratrochlear: 1112).

CONCLUSIONS

Anatomic dissection shows relative close approximation of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves, with a high proportion of both nerves exiting the orbit through foramina. The supraorbital nerve at the orbital rim contains the greatest number of myelinated axons.

Management of Bilateral Facial Palsy

Bilateral facial paralysis is a rare entity that occurs in both pediatric and adult patients and can have congenital or acquired causes. When paralysis does not resolve with conservative or medical management, surgical intervention may be indicated. This article presents the authors' preferred technique for facial reanimation in patients with bilateral congenital facial paralysis. Specifically, a staged bilateral segmental gracilis transfer to ipsilateral nerve to masseter is discussed.

Total scapholunate dislocation with complete scaphoid extrusion: case report

A case of complete dislocation of the lunate and scaphoid resulting from a fall is reported. We are unaware of any previously reported case of simultaneous dislocation with the scaphoid completely extruded from the wrist at the time of injury. The patient was treated with a proximal row carpectomy.

Spontaneous resolution of a 13-mm Chiari malformation Type I in relation to differential growth of the posterior fossa volume

The case of a 3-year-old patient with tuberous sclerosis and a 13-mm Chiari malformation Type I that spontaneously disappeared over the course of 4 years is presented. Using morphometric measurements of the posterior fossa and cerebellum in this patient, the authors show that the volume of the posterior fossa at the time of initial evaluation was consistent with that reported as normal in the literature (180.24 cm3; normal volume 132-198 cm3). Moreover, the patient showed a normal rate of growth of his posterior fossa over the period of observation (201.05 cm3; normal range 153-230 cm3). Cerebellar volumes were found to increase only minimally during this time period, which is compatible with observations in healthy controls. The posterior fossa volume, on the other hand, was shown to increase significantly more than that of the cerebellum (p=0.0185). This differential growth may permit the tonsils to ascend back up into the posterior fossa. Therefore, pediatric patients with normal posterior fossa volumes and normal development may have a spontaneous resolution of their asymptomatic Chiari malformation Type I.

Objective three-dimensional analysis of cranial morphology

OBJECTIVE

The lack of adequate means to objectively characterize cranial shape contributes to ongoing controversies in the surgical management of craniosynostosis. Cranial shape analysis must address relevant clinical questions objectively and thoroughly and must be broadly applicable across the spectrum of normal and abnormal. Herein, we demonstrate and statistically validate an automated computed tomography (CT)-based application for 3-dimensional characterization of skull morphology. The technology is intended for application to diagnostic imaging, surgical planning, and outcomes assessment.

METHODS

Three-dimensional vector analysis (3DVA) was applied to craniofacial CT data, generating three-dimensional cranial surface point clouds.

VALIDATION

To assess accuracy, measurements derived from the 3DVA analysis of a CT scan of a skull phantom were compared to those made directly from the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine data on a Vitrea workstation. To assess reproducibility, 3 readers independently analyzed human head CT scans using 3DVA.

APPLICATION

A normative database of 86 age-incremental pediatric patients was created. Preoperative craniosynostosis case datasets were analyzed using 3DVA and were compared with age-matched normative datasets.

RESULTS

Accuracy and reproducibility of less than 1% mean error and less than 0.5 mm standard error in all cases validated 3DVA-derived distances. Three-dimensional vector analysis point clouds provide qualitative and quantitative representations of morphology. Regional dysmorphology in craniosynostosis cases is demonstrated graphically.

CONCLUSIONS

Three-dimensional vector analysis generated accurate, reproducible, and comprehensive craniofacial morphometric data. 3DVA may be used for paired data analysis (eg, a single subject undergoing surgical correction), comparative group data analysis, and craniofacial data archiving. The technique can provide objective characterization of craniofacial morphology previously not possible.