Subclinical brachial plexopathy following median sternotomy.

In order to detect subclinical cases of brachial plexus injury following open heart surgery through median sternotomy, 15 patients were included in this prospective study. Physical and electrophysiologic examinations were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. The axillary F-loop latency was used to diagnose the brachial plexopathy. No clinical symptoms were found in this group postoperatively. Of the 15 patients, 13 (87%) were found to have a postoperative subclinical brachial plexopathy, at least on one side, and in eight of the patients, it was present on both sides.