Dorsal Root Entry Zone Lesioning for the Treatment of Pain After Brachial Plexus Avulsion Injury: 2-Dimensional Operative Video and Technical Report.

Background: Neuropathic pain after nerve root or plexus avulsion injury is disabling and often refractory to medical therapy. Dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning is a neurosurgical procedure that disrupts the pathological generation and transmission of nociceptive signaling through the selective lesioning of culprit neurons within the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.

Objective: To present a case report and describe the operative technique for cervical spinal cord DREZ lesioning using radiofrequency thermocoagulation.

Methods: We present the case of a 29-year-old man who experienced a traumatic right-sided brachial plexus avulsion injury. The patient experienced severe neuropathic pain in his distal right upper extremity. He underwent cervical spinal DREZ lesioning. Postoperatively, he reported immediate and total pain relief that was sustained on follow-up at 3 months. We describe the operative technique for DREZ lesioning, including preoperative considerations, patient position, incision, approach, exposure, microsurgical dissection, DREZ lesioning, fixation, and closure.

Results: The goal of DREZ lesioning is the selective destruction of nociceptive fibers within the lateral bundle of the dorsal rootlet and superficial layers of the dorsal horn gray matter, while preserving the medial inhibitory fibers. DREZ lesioning targets the putative pain generator and ascending pain pathways that mediate the characteristic neuropathic pain after avulsion injury. Neurological complications include worsening pain or motor and sensory deficits of the ipsilateral lower extremity.

Conclusion: DREZ lesioning provides an effective and durable treatment for neuropathic pain after nerve root or plexus avulsion injury.