When your baby needs medical care, you want the best. If you experience
complications during childbirth that cause
brachial plexus injuries, trust the specialists with our Brachial Plexus Program to provide expert
care and treatment for all kinds of brachial plexus injuries.
Expert Care for Brachial Plexus Injuries
As part of the Brachial Plexus Program at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital
OU Health in Oklahoma City, you’ll work with a multidisciplinary
team from many healthcare specialties to develop an individualized treatment
plan that fits your child’s specific situation. Your child benefits
from an accurate diagnosis and comprehensive treatment to restore as much
function as possible.
Request an Appointment
Request an appointment to talk with a brachial plexus treatment specialist
at Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health in Oklahoma City today.
The brachial plexus is a complex network of nerves that connects the spinal
cord in the neck to the arm, and provides sensation and movement to the
shoulder, arm and hand.
The nerves of the brachial plexus can be stretched, compressed or torn
during a difficult delivery. You or your baby’s pediatrician may
notice symptoms of brachial plexus injury, such as:
Muscle weakness or paralysis in affected arm or hand
Decreased movement or sensation in the arm or hand
Inability to lift the arm at the shoulder
Inability to flex at the elbow or turn the arm or hand outward
Inability to move the arm, wrist or hand
Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment gives your baby the best chance
at recovery. Your medical team provides thorough examination and testing
to identify the severity, location and type of
nerve injury, which may affect all or only part of the brachial plexus.
Physiatrists perform specialized nerve tests and imaging to assess nerve
damage. Your baby’s doctor may recommend additional diagnostic tests such as:
X-ray – Identifies clavicle (collarbone) fractures that are sometimes
associated with brachial plexus injury
Electromyography/nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCS) – Documents electrical activity within the injured nerves
and can indicate nearby healthy nerves to use as donors
When you choose Oklahoma Children’s Hospital for brachial plexus
injury treatment, you and your child work with a multidisciplinary team
of experts with the extensive training, experience and skill necessary
to repair damaged nerves and restore function.
Physical therapy and occupational therapy
Therapy helps maximize the use of the injured arm and prevents secondary
issues like muscle atrophy or joint stiffness. Physical therapy and occupational
therapy may be prescribed as a solo treatment or combined with surgery.
In addition, your child’s physical or occupational therapist may
show you how to perform range or motion (ROM) exercises at home and provide
a recommended movement plan.
Surgical repair strategies
Surgical techniques are appropriate for primary repair of these injuries
in infants and secondary repair in older children. You and your child’s
doctor will discuss the specifics of your child’s situation and
determine the best possible surgical procedure to correct nerve damage,
which may include procedures such as:
Primary repairs
Nerve grafting – Creates a bridge over the injury site, using donor
nerves from the infant’s legs
Nerve transfers – Uses “strong” nerves to support “weak”
nerves by wiring fibers from the strong nerves into the weak nerves
Secondary repairs
Muscle lengthening – Lengthens and/or transfers tissue to the affected
muscle to improve arm function and decrease the severity of residual shoulder
joint deformity
Humeral osteotomy – Alters upper arm bone alignment to increase external
rotation of the shoulder
Your Brachial Plexus Care Team
At Oklahoma Children's Hospital, your multidisciplinary brachial plexus
care team may include highly trained physical medicine and rehabilitation
physicians (physiatrists), occupational therapists, physical therapists,
pediatric neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons and orthopedic surgeons.
Together, everyone focuses on providing comprehensive treatment and support
for your baby and family.
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