Surgical treatment of lumbosacral plexus injuries

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Maria Lang ◽  
Jörg Borges ◽  
Thomas Carlstedt

Object. The purpose of this study was to analyze therapeutic possibilities and clinical outcomes in patients with lumbosacral plexus injuries to develop surgical concepts of treatment. Methods. In a retrospective investigation 10 patients with injuries to the lumbosacral plexus were evaluated after surgery. The patients were assessed clinically, electrophysiologically, and based on the results of magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography myelography. In most patients a traction injury had occurred due to severe trauma that also caused pelvic fractures. In most cases the roots of the cauda equina of the lumbosacral plexus had ruptured. In cases of spinal root ruptures repair with nerve grafts were performed. In cases in which proximal stumps of the plexus could not be retrieved palliative nerve transfers by using lower intercostals nerves or fascicles from the femoral nerve were performed. Conclusions. Lesions of the proximal spinal nerves and cauda equina occur in the most serious lumbosacral plexus injuries. Patients with such injuries subjected to reconstruction of spinal nerves, repair of ventral roots in the cauda equina, and nerve transfers recovered basic lower-extremity functions such as unsupported standing and walking.

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
MT Hussan ◽  
MS Islam ◽  
J Alam

The present study was carried out to determine the morphological structure and the branches of the lumbosacral plexus in the indigenous duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus). Six mature indigenous ducks were used in this study. After administering an anesthetic to the birds, the body cavities were opened. The nerves of the lumbosacral plexus were dissected separately and photographed. The lumbosacral plexus consisted of lumbar and sacral plexus innervated to the hind limb. The lumbar plexus was formed by the union of three roots of spinal nerves that included last two and first sacral spinal nerve. Among three roots, second (middle) root was the highest in diameter and the last root was least in diameter. We noticed five branches of the lumbar plexus which included obturator, cutaneous femoral, saphenus, cranial coxal, and the femoral nerve. The six roots of spinal nerves, which contributed to form three trunks, formed the sacral plexus of duck. The three trunks united medial to the acetabular foramen and formed a compact, cylindrical bundle, the ischiatic nerve. The principal branches of the sacral plexus were the tibial and fibular nerves that together made up the ischiatic nerve. Other branches were the caudal coxal nerve, the caudal femoral cutaneous nerve and the muscular branches. This study was the first work on the lumbosacral plexus of duck and its results may serve as a basis for further investigation on this subject.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (01) ◽  
pp. 139-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pranati Pillutla ◽  
Evan Nix ◽  
Benjamin Wallace Elberso ◽  
Laszlo Nagy

ABSTRACTSevere peripheral nerve injury occasionally requires urgent nerve grafting especially with significant separation of the proximal and distal ends of the injured nerve. Proper reinnervation to provide continued sensory and motor function is essential especially in the pediatric population. These patients would suffer lifelong disability without correction, yet have significantly improved regenerative capacity with prompt and effective management, making nerve grafts an ideal choice for complete nerve transection. This case report describes the successful sural nerve cable graft reinnervation of a transected femoral nerve in a 21-month-old male. This procedure was made difficult by severe trauma to the surrounding area with laceration of the femoral artery, significant separation of the femoral nerve ends, and the compact anatomy of such a young patient.


1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Robe ◽  
Didier Martin ◽  
Jacques Lenelle ◽  
Achille Stevenaert

✓ The posterior epidural migration of sequestered lumbar disc fragments is an uncommon event. The authors report two such cases in which patients presented with either intense radicular pain or cauda equina syndrome. The radiological characteristics were the posterior epidural location and the ring enhancement of the mass after injection of contrast material. The major diagnostic pitfalls are discussed.


1978 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 980-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koki Shimoji ◽  
Hiroyuki Shimizu ◽  
Yoichi Maruyama

✓ Somatosensory evoked response from the cervical skin surface over the spine (the cervical SER) was recorded, and compared with the cord dorsum potential (CDP) simultaneously recorded from the posterior epidural space at the same segment. The cervical SER evoked by segmental nerve stimulation consisted of an initially positive spike (P1), the peak latency being the same as that of the P1 of the CDP, followed by a smaller negative wave with two peaks. The latency of the second peak of the negative wave (N1) coincided with that of the N1 of the CDP. Subsequent to this negative wave, a slow positive wave (P2) with peak latency similar to that of the P2 of the CDP, could be noticed in some subjects. The cervical SER could not be evoked even by strong stimulation of the cauda equina. Thus, the cervical SER might reflect a segmental phenomenon rather than the conducted potential along the cord, and originate from the spinal root and cord in the same way as the segmentally evoked CDP.


2004 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 770-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayme Augusto Bertelli ◽  
Marcos Flávio Ghizoni

Object. The goal of this study was to evaluate outcomes in patients with brachial plexus avulsion injuries who underwent contralateral motor rootlet and ipsilateral nerve transfers to reconstruct shoulder abduction/external rotation and elbow flexion. Methods. Within 6 months after the injury, 24 patients with a mean age of 21 years underwent surgery in which the contralateral C-7 motor rootlet was transferred to the suprascapular nerve by using sural nerve grafts. The biceps motor branch or the musculocutaneous nerve was repaired either by an ulnar nerve fascicular transfer or by transfer of the 11th cranial nerve or the phrenic nerve. The mean recovery in abduction was 90° and 92° in external rotation. In cases of total palsy, only two patients recovered external rotation and in those cases mean external rotation was 70°. Elbow flexion was achieved in all cases. In cases of ulnar nerve transfer, the muscle scores were M5 in one patient, M4 in six patients, and M3+ in five patients. Elbow flexion repair involving the use of the 11th cranial nerve resulted in a score of M3+ in five patients and M4 in two patients. After surgery involving the phrenic nerve, two patients received a score of M3+ and two a score of M4. Results were clearly better in patients with partial lesions and in those who were shorter than 170 cm (p < 0.01). The length of the graft used in motor rootlet transfers affected only the recovery of external rotation. There was no permanent injury at the donor sites. Conclusions. Motor rootlet transfer represents a reliable and potent neurotizer that allows the reconstruction of abduction and external rotation in partial injuries.


1970 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 676-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian C. Bailey

✓ This is an analysis of 10 cases of dermoid tumor occurring in the spinal canal (8 lumbar and 2 thoracic). Low-back pain was the commonest presenting symptom, especially if the tumor was adherent to the conus medullaris. Other complaints included urinary dysfunction and motor and sensory disturbances of the legs. Clinical and radiological evidence of spina bifida was found in about half of the cases and suggested the diagnosis of a developmental type of tumor when patients presented with progressive spinal cord compression. At operation, the tumors were often found embedded in the conus medullaris or firmly adherent to the cauda equina, thus precluding complete removal. Evacuation of the cystic contents, however, gave lasting relief of the low-back pain and did not cause any deterioration in neurological function. In a follow-up study, ranging from 1 to 15 years, virtually no improvement in the neurological signs was observed. On the other hand, only one case has deteriorated due to recurrence of tumor growth.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 354-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Gelabert-González

✓ The author reports two cases of cauda equina paraganglioma (CEP) and provides a review of all previously published cases. The current radiological, neurosurgical, and pathological literature on this rare tumor is also reviewed.


1971 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolf Rosenkranz

✓ A case of ankylosing spondylitis in a patient with a cauda equina syndrome is reported. A lumbar myelogram revealed erosions of the bones of the neural canal with enclosed multiple intraspinal cysts.


1980 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 765-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole A. Miller ◽  
Richard C. Dewey ◽  
William E. Hunt

✓ The authors describe a lumbar spine fracture that is characterized on anteroposterior x-ray views by separation of the pedicular shadows. It is almost invariably associated with posterior interlaminar herniation of the cauda equina through a dorsal dural split, and anterolateral entrapment or amputation of the nerve root. The fracture is unstable and requires internal fixation and fusion at the time of neurolysis. Fractures meeting these criteria should be explored as soon as the patient's condition permits. Myelography is usually unnecessary and may be contraindicated in some cases. The postulated mechanism of injury is hyperextension with vertical impaction and rupture of the ring made up of the lamina, pedicle, and vertebral body. The ring is fractured in several places in a manner similar to that seen in “Jefferson fracture” of C-1. The special anatomical relationships of the thoracolumbar junction and the plane of the lumbar facets are also discussed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan D. O. Levi ◽  
Hector Dancausse ◽  
Xiuming Li ◽  
Suzanne Duncan ◽  
Laura Horkey ◽  
...  

Object. Partial restoration of hindlimb function in adult rats following spinal cord injury (SCI) has been demonstrated using a variety of transplantation techniques. The purpose of the present study was twofold: 1) to determine whether strategies designed to promote regeneration in the rat can yield similar results in the primate; and 2) to establish whether central nervous system (CNS) regeneration will influence voluntary grasping and locomotor function in the nonhuman primate. Methods. Ten cynomologus monkeys underwent T-11 laminectomy and resection of a 1-cm length of hemispinal cord. Five monkeys received six intercostal nerve autografts and fibrin glue containing acidic fibroblast growth factor (2.1 µg/ml) whereas controls underwent the identical laminectomy procedure but did not receive the nerve grafts. At 4 months postgrafting, the spinal cord—graft site was sectioned and immunostained for peripheral myelin proteins, biotinylated dextran amine, and tyrosine hydroxylase, whereas the midpoint of the graft was analyzed histologically for the total number of myelinated axons within and around the grafts. The animals underwent pre- and postoperative testing for changes in voluntary hindlimb grasping and gait. Conclusions. 1) A reproducible model of SCI in the primate was developed. 2) Spontaneous recovery of the ipsilateral hindlimb function occurred in both graft- and nongraft—treated monkeys over time without evidence of recovering the ability for voluntary tasks. 3) Regeneration of the CNS from proximal spinal axons into the peripheral nerve grafts was observed; however, the grafts did not promote regeneration beyond the lesion site. 4) The grafts significantly enhanced (p < 0.0001) the regeneration of myelinated axons into the region of the hemisected spinal cord compared with the nongrafted animals.


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