Brachial plexus injuries Flashcards
1
Q
Upper brachial plexus injury
What causes it?
What are the symptoms?
A
- excessive increase in angle between neck and shoulder (trauma, birth of baby if shoulders impacted in pelvis)
- Parasthesia at affected dermatome and paralysis at affected myotome
2
Q
Erb’s palsy
What is it?
What causes it?
What is the presentation?
A
- Upper brachial plexus root injury resulting in a waiter’s tip position
- Excessive traction applied to baby’s neck during birth with its shoulders impacted in pelvis
- medial rotation of limb, adducted arm, extended elbow
3
Q
Lower brachial plexus injury
What causes it?
When will this occur during birth?
What is ther term called?
What is symptom and presentation?
A
- hyperextension & hyperabduction of arm
- arm delivered first and traction applied to arm to deliver rest of body
- Klumpke’s palsy
- Claw Hand - hyperextension of all metacarpophalangeal joints, flexion of interphalangeal joints, abduction of thumb, wasting of interossei