Epidemiologic Study and Survey of the Hand Surgeons’ Perception on Upper Extremity Reconstruction for the Patients with Tetraplegia from Cervical Spine Injury in Korea

Journal of the Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand 2007;12(4):187-194.
Published online December 1, 2007.

Sung Woo Bin, Moon Sang Chung, Goo Hyun Baek, Joo Han Oh, Young Ho Lee, Hyung Ik Shin, Sang Ik Shin, Hyun Sik Gong

경추 손상 후 사지 마비 환자에서 상지 재건술의 국내 현황과 수부외과 의사의 인식 조사

빈성우, 정문상, 백구현, 오주한, 이영호, 신형익, 신상익, 공현식

Abstract

Purpose
This study attempts to obtain epidemiological data in Korea on the upper extremity reconstruction which can offer many benefits to the patients with tetraplegia secondary to cervical spine injury. It also aims to assess the perception of the hand surgeons about this operation. Materials and Methods: We surveyed the number of patients with tetraplegia from cervical spine injury and the internal state of upper extremity reconstruction by using the data from Health Insurance Review Agency that was based on diagnosis and procedure codes of Korean Standard Classification of Disease between 2004 and 2006. We distributed a questionnaire to the hand surgeons personally and analyzed their response to assess their perception about the need for procedure. Results: The number of patients with tetraplegia secondary to cervical spine injury was 727 and the cases operated with upper extremity reconstruction were 95 (13%) for the last 3 years. We received answers from 29 hand surgeons out of 42. Eighty one percent of the hand surgeons had no experience about this operation and 80% surgeons said that the surgery has been rarely performed because there was no referral or consultation of this procedure. More than 70% surgeons perceived that this procedure was not easy, but useful, and wanted to carry out this operation more. Conclusion: Many hand surgeons have the positive perception of upper extremity reconstruction. However, the utilization of this operation is as low as 13%. We recommend that more information regarding this procedure should be given to the patients with tetraplegia and the medical personnel related with rehabilitation.