Phichet Wongrot. Strength of the biceps muscle and functional outcomes of the hand in patients with upperarm type brachial plexus injury post-reconstructive surgery. Master's Degree(Adult Nursing ). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2008.
Strength of the biceps muscle and functional outcomes of the hand in patients with upperarm type brachial plexus injury post-reconstructive surgery
Abstract:
This study is a descriptive research aiming to investigate the relations
of post-reconstructive surgery duration, strength of the biceps muscle, and functional
outcomes of the hand in patients with upperarm type brachial plexus injury postreconstructive
surgery. The sample was composed of 63 patients who were receiving
follow-up treatments at the Orthopedic Follow-up Clinic on the 1st floor of Syamindra
Building, Siriraj Hospital, from June to November 2007. The research instruments
were an interview questionnaire and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire
(MHQ). The strength of biceps muscle was examined according to the British Medical
Research Council system (MRC). Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Independent
sample t-test, and Pearsons Product Moment Correlation were employed for data
analysis.
The majority of the sample were males (88.9%). The sample were all aged
between 18-64 years with a mean age of 34.10 years. Most were employed before the
injury (87.3%) and nearly half became unemployed after the injury (46%). The most
frequent cause of injury was motorcycle accidents (93.7%). The interval between the
injury and operation was mostly reported in the range of 3-6 months. About a third of
post-reconstructive surgery durations were longer than 36 months, and just under a
third were 3-12 months (33.3% and 31.7% respectively). The majority of the patients
demonstrated recovery of the biceps muscle at a good level (M4-5) (69.8%) and the
mean score of the functional outcomes of the hand was 49.63 (S.D. = 15.23). The
correlation study showed that the strength of the biceps muscle was found to have a
positive correlation with functional outcomes of the hand in patients with upperarm
type brachial plexus injury post-reconstructive surgery.
Given these research findings, it is recommended that collaboration in the
multidisciplinary care team should be strengthened. Patients should have assessments
of muscle strength and attend a rehabilitation program for maintenance of muscle
strength and for promoting hand skills by performing activities. This will be beneficial
for functional outcomes of the hand.