Robotic rehabilitation training with a newly developed upper limb single-joint Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL-SJ) for elbow flexor reconstruction after brachial plexus injury: A report of two cases.

Journal: Journal of orthopaedic surgery (Hong Kong)
PMID: 29874971

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of using the upper limb single-joint Hybrid Assistive Limb (upper limb HAL-SJ) during elbow flexion training following elbow flexor reconstruction for brachial plexus injury (BPI). We present the cases of two patients in whom the upper limb HAL-SJ was implemented 5 and 7 months postoperatively following elbow flexor reconstruction for BPI. They underwent elbow flexor reconstruction with intercostal nerve crossing-to-musculocutaneous nerve (ICN-MCN crossing) after BPI. Postoperative training using the upper limb HAL-SJ was started from the Medical Research Council (MRC) grade 1 elbow flexion power to MRC grade 3 once every week or every 2 weeks. Both patients could implement elbow training using the upper limb HAL-SJ even in MRC grade 1 of their elbow flexion power. Training with the upper limb HAL-SJ was performed safely and effectively in two patients with elbow flexor reconstruction with ICN crossing after BPI.

Authors

  • Shigeki Kubota
    a Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine , University of Tsukuba , Tsukuba City , Japan.
  • Hideki Kadone
    c Center for Innovating Medicine and Engineering , University of Tsukuba , Tsukuba City , Japan.
  • Yukiyo Shimizu
    a Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , University of Tsukuba Hospital , Tsukuba, Ibaraki , Japan.
  • Yuki Hara
    1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
  • Tadashi Kubo
    3 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan.
  • Hiroki Watanabe
    4 Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
  • Yasushi Hada
    f Department of Rehabilitation , University of Tsukuba , Tsukuba City , Japan.
  • Naoyuki Ochiai
    5 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kikkoman General Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
  • Yoshiyuki Sankai
  • Masashi Yamazaki
    Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Tsukuba (Tsukuba Pediatric Orthopaedic Group), Tsukuba, Japan.

Keywords

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