Birth injuries of the brachial plexus.
Birth injuries of the brachial plexus are fairly common, but the majority of affected newborns make quick recoveries without any specific intervention. A minority suffer more severe injuries that lead to varying degrees of life-long disability. Happily, modern microsurgical techniques permit reconstruction of certain plexus injuries and, in carefully selected patients, can restore voluntary activity to target muscle groups. To what degree reanimation of paralyzed muscles improves function and quality of life for these children is a more important matter that has not yet been addressed at the level of modern standards of evidence. Brachial plexus reconstruction is only a first step in the multidisciplinary process needed to optimize long-term functional outcomes for severely affected infants.
Piatt
Joseph H
JH
Section of Neurosurgery, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Erie Avenue at Front Street, Philadelphia, PA 19134, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19134, USA.
D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008866:Microsurgery; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D010246:Paralysis, Obstetric / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis