The EFFUL (Evaluation of Function in the Flail Upper Limb) system. A ranking score system to measure improvement achieved by surgical reconstruction and rehabilitation.

ABSTRACT

The EFFUL (Evaluation of Function of the Flail Upper Limb) system measures in numerical terms the improvement, achieved through reconstructive surgery and hand therapy, in patients with brachial plexus injuries. The EFFUL system measures practical, everyday activities performed with the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist and hand. The ranking system is based upon a classification of function, with a hierarchy of increasing functional demands until normal function has been achieved. These activities focus on two-handed coordination and hand dominance. The score is plotted on a star histogram known as the patient's profile, and shows the preoperative score achieved in the first evaluation, and the postoperative score achieved in the second evaluation. The shaded area between the two plotted points clearly demonstrates any improvement in function obtained by surgery and rehabilitation. It also demonstrates the interrelationship between the various regions improvement in function in one region often results in improvement in other regions.