Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries

The bundle of nerves that controls the shoulder and arm muscles is known as the brachial plexus. Injuries to the brachial plexus can cause paralysis to one or both arms. In most cases, brachial plexus injuries happen during a baby’s delivery. In the United States, the prevalence of brachial plexus injuries at birth is approximately 0.2%.

Brachial plexus injuries may be caused by a medical provider’s negligence. Attorneys at Estey & Bomberger, LLP have represented numerous children with brachial plexus injuries and cerebral palsy caused by a health care provider’s negligence.

Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy

Two types of palsy are associated with brachial plexus injuries. Erb-Duchenne (Erb's) palsy is a paralysis caused by injury to the upper part of the brachial plexus. Dejerine-Klumpke (Klumpke's) palsy is a paralysis caused by injury to the lower part of the brachial plexus.

Types of Brachial Plexus Injuries

There are four different types of brachial plexus injuries:

• Avulsion
• Rupture
• Neuroma
• Neuropraxia (Stretch)

The most severe type of injury is an avulsion injury, where the nerve is torn from the spine. A baby’s arm may be completely and permanently paralyzed in an avulsion injury. When a baby suffers a rupture injury, the nerve becomes torn but not where it is attached to the spine. With a neuroma injury, the brachial plexus nerves heal but scar tissues prevent the nerve from communicating to the muscles. With a neuropraxia injury, the most common type of injury, the brachial plexus nerves become damaged but are not torn.

Treatment for Brachial Plexus Injuries

Surgery may be required for brachial plexus injuries, especially with avulsion and rupture injuries. In other cases, occupational therapy or physical therapy will be used to treat brachial plexus injuries. In some less severe cases, a brachial plexus injury will completely heal on its own without treatment.

Causes of Brachial Plexus Injuries

Brachial plexus injuries are often caused when the baby’s shoulder becomes trapped in the mother’s pelvic bone during birth, a condition known as shoulder dysyocia. Brachial plexus injuries happen more frequently with larger than normal babies, or when the mother’s pelvis is too small or abnormally shaped, a condition known as cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD). When CPD has been diagnosed, a baby should be delivered by cesarean delivery.

Symptoms of Brachial Plexus Injuries

A baby born with a brachial plexus injury may have a limp or paralyzed arm. Symptoms of brachial plexus injuries include:

• Paralysis of arm
• Loss of muscle control in arm
• Loss of muscle control in hand
• Loss of muscle control in wrist
• Numbness of arm
• Numbness of hand
• Severe pain in arm, wrist or hand

Birth Injury Attorney Consultation

If your child is coping with birth related brachial plexus injuries or Erb’s Palsy, contact the birth injury law firm of Estey & Bomberger, LLP for a free consultation. As a parent, you may be entitled to compensation for your child’s injury if the injury was caused by malpractice or negligence. Our attorneys represent plaintiffs in birth injury lawsuits caused by medical negligence or medical malpractice. For a free case evaluation, call us anytime at (800) 672-1036 or request a consultation online.