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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A brachial plexus injury is an injury to the network of nerves that sends signals from your spine to your shoulder, arm and hand. A brachial plexus injury occurs when these nerves are stretched or, in the most serious cases, torn. This usually happens when your shoulder is pressed down forcefully while your head is pushed up and away from that shoulder.
Brachial plexus injuries are common in contact sports, but they can also result from auto accidents, falls, inflammation and tumors. Babies sometimes sustain a brachial plexus injury during birth.
Minor injuries may get better on their own, but severe brachial plexus injuries require surgical repair.
- Brachial plexus injury (Erb's palsy). American Society for Surgery of the Hand. http://www.assh.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PatientsPublic/HandConditions/BrachialPlexusInjury/Brachial_Plexus_Inj.htm. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Burners and stingers. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=226&topcategory=Shoulder. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- NINDS brachial plexus information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brachial_plexus/brachial_plexus.htm. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Erb's palsy (brachial plexus birth injury). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=314&topcategory=Shoulder. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Shin AY, et al. Adult traumatic brachial plexus injuries. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2005;13(6):382-396.
- Uehara DT et al. Injuries to the Shoulder Complex and Humerus. In: Tintinalli JE et al. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. Chapel Hill, N.C.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2004. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=612543&searchStr=injury+of+brachial+plexus. Accessed Nov. 11, 2008.
- McMahon PJ et al. Sports Medicine: Shoulder Neurovascular Injury. In: Skinner HB. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Orthopedics. 4th ed. Irvine, Calif.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2319261&searchStr=injury+of+brachial+plexus. Accessed Nov. 11, 2008.
