100 Concepts Brachial Plexus Flashcards
What is upper brachial palsy?
Injury of Upper roots and trunk
What usually causes upper bracial palsy?
- excessive increase in the angle between the neck and the shoulder
- stretching or tearing of the superior parts of the brachial plexus (C5 and C6 roots or superior trunk)
- birth injury: forceful pulling on infants head during difficult delivery
What are the features of Erb-Duchenne Palsy?
“Waiter’s Tip” Hand:
- adducted shoulder
- medially rotated arm
- extended elbow
- loss of sensation in the lateral aspect of the upper limb
What nerves are lesioned in Erb-Duchenne Palsy?
axillary, suprascapular, and musculocutaneous nerves
What muscles are paralyzed in Erb-Duchenne Palsy?
Muscles of Shoulder and Arms supplied by C5 and C6 spinal nerves (roots) of the upper trunk
What is lesioned in Klumpke’s paralysis (Lower Brachial Palsy)?
Ulnar nerve (Claw Hand) + Median Nerve (Ape Hand)
What are some other symptoms of Klumpke’s Paralysis?
- Loss of sensation in the medial aspect of the upper limb and medial 1,5 fingers
- possibly Horner Syndrome
- Intrinsic Muscles of the Hand supplied by C8 and T1 roots of the lower trunk affected
What is the innervated region and clinical sign of the Axillary nerve?
- C5-C6
- Deltoid, teres minor, and skin of shoulder
- Loss of Abduction
What is the innervated region and clinical sign of the Musculocutaneous nerve?
- C5-C6
- Flexors of the arm and skin of the lateral forearm
- Weakness of flexion and supination of the elbow
What is the innervated region and clinical sign of the Radial Nerve?
- C5-T1
- Extensors of arm, forearm and posterior skin of upper limb
- Wrist Drop (Loss of wrist extension)
What is the innervated region and clinical sign of the Median Nerve?
-Ape Hand (Loss of thumb opposition)
What is the innervated region and clinical sign of the Ulnar Nerve?
-Claw Hand (clawing digits 4-5)
What is the innervated region and clinical sign of the Long Thoracic Nerve?
- Serratus Anterior
- Winged Scapula
What is the innervated region and clinical sign of the Suprascapular Nerve?
- Supraspinatus
- Pain and Problems with initiation of abduction?
What is a dermatome?
A strip of skin innervated by one DRG (dorsal root ganglion)
