Dorsal root entry zone lesions in the treatment of pain following brachial plexus avulsion and herpes zoster.

Fifteen patients with brachial plexus avulsion injury and four patients with postherpetic pain submitted to dorsal root entry zone surgery. Nashold's method was used in all cases. The initial results in the group with brachial plexus avulsion injury were satisfactory. Twelve patients experienced pain relief. Only one patient had a poor result. Ten patients (66%) continued to have good pain relief in the follow-up period of 15-48 months. Three patients with postherpetic pain had good pain relief in the initial stage after surgery. Two of these four cases were found to have a recurrence of some pain, which could be relieved more or less by oral analgesics. No mortality or major complications were found in this series, although eight patients complained postoperatively of mild sensory weakness which disappeared within two weeks.