Brachial Plexus Injury

Another name for Brachial plexus palsy is Erbs palsy. Brachial plexus palsy is a disorder that ranges from impairing as little as one of the five main nerves that serve the brachial plexus to full paralysis of the arms and hands. The brachial plexus consists of a group of nerve fibers that sends signals from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm, and hand. While brachial plexus palsy can occur in adults, the disorder is predominantly a birth injury occurring in infants.

The damage inflicted onto the brachial plexus determines the severity of the disorder. Many babies can recover from brachial plexus injuries suffered during the labor process while others require more specialized attention to ascertain a treatment plan. Early detection is the key to increasing the chance of movement and feeling recovery by an infant. Shoulder dystocia is a major cause of brachial plexus palsy.

Types of brachial plexus palsy

Depending on the type of damage inflicted to the nerve(s), there are four types of brachial plexus palsy:

• Avulsion—the nerve is completely separate from the spine
• Neuroma—scar tissue weighs on the nerve
• Praxis/stretch—the nerve is only slightly damaged but not ripped and could heal on its own
• Rupture—the nerve is ripped but not separated from the spine

Differing factors affect how severe the brachial plexus injury is. The range of symptoms varies and hinges on which nerves and how many were injured. The symptoms can range from slight weakness in the arm(s) and hand(s) to total paralysis.

Another factor affecting brachial plexus palsy is how severely damaged the nerve(s) are. A mild stretching or a bruising of the nerve(s) should not result in much if any loss of movement and little to no long-term nerve damage. The more nerves that have been pulled and shredded, the greater the loss of movement. If a nerve is completely torn, it can never repair itself, and results in paralysis of that muscle.

A brachial plexus injury is a serious and lifelong condition that requires constant monitoring and can be an enormous financial burden. If you have any legal questions about brachial plexus palsy or any birth injuries, please contact Greg Jones & Associates for a free consultation about your claim.