title: Prevalence of brachial plexus injuries in patients with scapular fractures: A National Trauma Data Bank review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies investigating the prevalence of brachial plexus injuries associated with scapular fractures are sparse, and are frequently limited by small sample sizes and often restricted to single-centre experience.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of brachial plexus injuries associated with scapular fractures; to determine how the prevalence varies with the region of the scapula injured; and to assess which specific nerves of the brachial plexus were involved.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study was a retrospective review of data from the National Trauma Data Bank over a five-year period (2007 to 2011).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 68,118 patients with scapular fractures, brachial plexus injury was present in 1173 (1.72%). In patients with multiple scapular fractures, the prevalence of brachial plexus injury was 3.12%, and ranged from 1.52% to 2.22% in patients with single scapular fractures depending on the specific anatomical location of the fracture. Of the 426 injuries with detailed information on nerve injury, 208 (49%) involved the radial nerve, 113 (26.5%) the ulnar nerve, 65 (15%) the median nerve, 36 (8.5%) the axillary nerve and four (1%) the musculocutaneous nerve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of brachial plexus injuries in patients with scapular fractures was 1.72%. The prevalence was similar across anatomical regions for single scapular fracture and was higher with multiple fractures. The largest percentage of nerve injuries were to the radial nerve.
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine;
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chamata
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine; ; Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott and White Health, Temple, Texas USA.
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahabir
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine; ; Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott and White Health, Temple, Texas USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jupiter
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine; ; Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Baylor Scott and White Health, Temple, Texas USA.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Weber
keywords: Brachial plexus; National trauma data bank; Scapula; Scapular fracture