The brachial plexus is a series of nerves that stretch from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. The nerves send signals to make the arm and hand move and react to various stimuli. If those nerves are stretched, or even torn, an injury will result.
Most often, these nerves are stretched when the shoulder is pushed down and the neck and head pushed up and away, but they can also be injured when the arms are pulled up over the head. A brachial plexus injury can occur in sports, falls, or car accidents. Infants can also suffer from this injury during difficult births.
In severe cases, the nerve root is torn away from the spinal cord. When this happens, it’s called avulsion. The patient may be able to use his fingers, but not his shoulder and elbow. Or he may be able to move his arm, but not his fingers. In some cases, there may be a complete paralysis of the entire arm. In most cases, the patient is under extreme pain.
While a brachial plexus injury can occur during contact sports and automobile accidents, it can also occur to infants during difficult childbirth. A baby who presents in breech can suffer an injury when her hands are raised above her head and the nerves are stretched. This type of injury typically affects the lower nerves. The upper nerves are injured if the shoulder is forced down and the neck is pulled up and away from the affected shoulder, as in a birth where the head presents but the shoulders are unable to pass through the birth canal. It is these types of birth that often require medical assistance, and physicians must resort to physically pulling the infant with their hands, forceps, or a vacuum. In some cases, a c-section is necessary. These upper nerve injuries are called Erb’s palsy. If both the upper and lower nerves are damaged, it is referred to as total brachial plexus birth palsy.
The Brachial Plexus injury that occurs to an infant during birth may be a result of medical malpractice, if this occurs parents may have a legitimate malpractice claim against the doctor and hospital where this occurred and should contact a medical malpractice attorney. Although childhood birth injuries such as this are rare, they can result in much pain and suffering for your child and may require long term care such as physical therapy. If properly treated early on many children with this condition can overcome many of the symptoms of their birth injury.
References:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/brachial-plexus-injury/DS00897
