A Case of Brachial Plexus Neurorrhaphy During Revisional Modified Radical Neck Dissection
10.11106/ijt.2020.13.1.43
- Author:
Min Ki LEE
1
;
Hyun Tag KANG
;
Shin Young KIM
;
Seung-Won LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Korea
- Publication Type:CASE REPORT
- From:International Journal of Thyroidology
2020;13(1):43-46
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The brachial plexus originates from the ventral rami of spinal nerves C5–T1 and lies between the anterior and middle scalene muscles. Brachial plexus injury can occur as a rare complication of neck dissection or in association with trauma, malignancy, or radiotherapy. We performed modified radical neck dissection in a female with cervical lymph node metastasis of a recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma. Brachial plexus injury occurred because of severe adhesion and anatomical distortion during the surgical revision and was immediately treated via end-to-end neurorrhaphy. After surgery, the patient felt pain and numbness in her right shoulder and arm. Motor function was grade 0 on right shoulder flexion, arm abduction and elbow flexion. After 1 year of follow-up, both motor and sensory function had fully recovered. This is the first reported case of complete motor function restoration after brachial plexus neurorrhaphy in a patient treated in the Republic of Korea.
