Review of the brachial plexus. Part I: Acute injuries.

Acute injuries of the brachial plexus are open or closed, and occur by compression, traction, sharp laceration, or missile injuries. Following initial resuscitation, a proper evaluation and treatment plan must be formulated. A review of the literature showed an obvious trend away from conservative treatment of many brachial plexus lesion toward an early, aggressive surgical approach to these injuries. An extensive literature review also provided the opportunity to devise a rational classification of brachial plexus injuries, which allows for a treatment regimen that reflects the trend of the recent literature.