brachial plexus injuries
TRANSCRIPT
Dr. Zahoor AhmadPGR,
Paediatric surgery, SZMC/H, RYK,
Pakistan
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Spinal Nerves Spinal nerves attach to
the spinal cord via roots Dorsal root
Has only sensory neurons Attached to cord via rootlets Dorsal root ganglion
○ Bulge formed by cell bodies of unipolar sensory neurons
Ventral root Has only motor neurons No ganglion - all cell bodies
of motor neurons found in gray matter of spinal cord
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Spinal Nerves 31 pair
each contains thousands of nerve fibersAll are mixed nerves have both sensory and motor
neurons) Connect to the spinal cord Named for point of issue from the spinal cord
8 pairs of cervical nerves (C1-C8)12 pairs of thoracic nerves (T1-T12)5 pairs of lumbar nerves (L1-L5)5 pairs of sacral nerves (S1-S5)1 pair of coccygeal nerves (Co1)
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Formation of Rami Rami are lateral branches of a
spinal nerve Rami contain both sensory
and motor neurons Two major groups
Dorsal ramus○ Neurons innervate the
dorsal regions of the bodyVentral ramus
○ Larger○ Neurons innervate the
ventral regions of the body
○ Braid together to form plexuses (plexi)
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Dermatomal Map Spinal nerves indicated by capital letter and number Dermatomal map: skin area supplied with sensory
innervation by spinal nerves
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Introduction to Nerve Plexuses
Nerve plexusA network of ventral rami
Ventral rami (except T2-T12)Branch and join with one another Form nerve plexuses
○ In cervical, brachial, lumbar, and sacral regions○ No plexus formed in thoracic region of s.c.
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Branches of Spinal Nerves
Dorsal Ramus Neurons within muscles of trunk and back
Ventral Ramus (VR)Braid together to form plexuses
○ Cervical plexus - VR of C1-C4○ Brachial plexus - VR of C5-T1○ Lumbar plexus - VR of of L1-L4○ Sacral plexus - VR of L4-S4○ Coccygeal plexus -VR of S4 and S5
Communicating Rami: communicate with sympathetic chain of ganglia Covered in ANS unit
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Brachial Plexus Formed by ventral rami of
spinal nerves C5-T1 Five ventral rami form
three trunks that separate into six divisions that then form cords that give rise to nerves
Major nervesAxillaryRadialMusculocutaneousUlnarMedian
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Brachial Plexus: Axillary Nerve
Motor neurons stimulateDeltoid, teres minor
○ Abducts arm- deltoid○ Laterally rotate arm-teres
minor
Sensory neuronsSkin: inferior lateral
shoulder
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Brachial Plexus: Radial Nerve Motor components stimulate
Posterior muscles of arm, forearm, and hand○ Triceps, supinator, brachioradialis,
extensors○ Cause extension movements at elbow
and wrist, thumb movements
Sensory components Skin on posterior surface of arm and
forearm, hand
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Brachial Plexus:Musculocutaneous Nerve
Motor components stimulateFlexors in anterior upper arm:
(biceps brachii, brachialis)○ Cause flexion movements at
shoulder and elbow
Sensory: Skin along lateral surface of forearm
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Brachial Plexus: Ulnar Nerve Motor components
stimulateFlexor muscles in anterior
forearm (FCU, FDP, most intrinsic muscles of hand)
Results in wrist and finger flexion
Sensory: Skin on medial part of hand
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Brachial Plexus: Median Nerve
Motor components stimulate All but one of the flexors of the
wrist and fingers, and thenar muscles at base of thumb (Palmaris longus, FCR, FDS, FPL, pronator)
Causes flexion of the wrist and fingers and thumb
Sensory components Stimulate skin on lateral part
of hand
Dermatomes of the Posterior Arm
Dermatomes of the Anterior Arm
Etiology traffic accidents birth injuries humerus luxations brachial plexus neuritis stab and bullet wounds tumors (especially lung cancer) cervical rib, fibrous band from C7
(neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome)
Principles of Localization
Certain sites are prone to nerve entrapments/injuriesNerve opposing bone
○ Ulnar nerve at the elbowClosed spaces
○ Carpal tunnelAdjacent structures
○ Median nerve at the elbow, adjacent to the brachial artery
Principles of localization (cont.) Order in which branches arise Movements at specific joints
Single nerve○ Elbow extension
RadialMultiple nerves
○ Elbow flexionMusculocutaneousRadial
Brachial Plexus Injuries Upper Lesions of the Brachial
Plexus (Erb’s Palsy): resulting from excessive displacement of the head to opposite side and depression of shoulder on the same side.
This causes excessive traction or even tearing of C5 and 6 roots of the plexus. It occurs in infants during a difficult delivery or in adults after a blow to or fall on shoulder.
Effects:Motor: paralysis of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subclavius, biceps brachii, part of brachialis, coracobrachialis; deltoid teres minor. Sensroy: sensory loss on the lateral side
of the arm.
Deformity: waiter tip postion
a. limb will hang by the side,
b. medially rotated by sternocostal part of the pectoralis major;
c. pronated forearm (biceps paralysis)
Erb-Duchenne palsy (waiter's tip)
Lower Lesions of the Brachial Plexus
(Klumpke Palsy) traction injuries by excessive abduction of
the arm i.e. occurs if person falling from a height
clutching at an object to save himself or herself.
Can be caused by cervical rib. T1 is usually torn (ulnar and median
nerves)
Motor Effects: paralysis of all the small muscles of the hand.
Sensory effects: loss of sensation along the medial side of the arm.
deformity: claw hand caused by hyperextension of the metacarpophalangeal joints and flexion of the interphalangeal joints.
Axillary Nerve injuryCauses: crutch pressing upward into the armpit, Downward shoulder dislocationsfractures of the surgical neck of the humerus.
Motor effects: Deltoid paralysis teres minor paralysis. Sensory effects: loss of sensation at lower ½ of
deltoid Deformity: Wasting of deltoid
Radial Nerve injuryInjury in axilla : crutch pressing up into armpit drunkard falling asleep with one arm over the back of a chair.
fractures of proximal humerus.
Motor effects:paralysis of triceps Anconeus extensors of the wrist Extensors of fingers. Brachioradialis supinator muscle Deformity: Wrist and finger
drop
Sensory effects : small area of sansation
loss at arm and forearmsensory loss over lateral
part of the dorsum of the hand (lat. 3.5 fingers without distal phalynges)
Injuries at Spiral Groove
Caused by fracture shaft of humerus. Motor effects: paralysis of extensors of the wrist Extensors of fingers
Deformity: Wrist and finger drop Sensory effects: anesthesia is present over the
dorsal surface of the hand (lat. 3.5 fingers)
Median Nerve Median Nerve injuryinjury Motor effects: paralysis of pronator muscles long flexor muscles of the wrist
and fingers, Exception:a. flexor carpi ulnarisb. medial half flexor digitorum profundus.
Deformity: apelike hand apelike hand 1.thenar muscles wasted 2.thumb is laterally rotated and
adducted. 3.index and to a lesser extent
the middle fingers tend to remain straight on making
4.Weakening of lat. 2 fingers
Sensory: Sensory loss on the lat. 3.5
fingers on palmar side Sensory loss over distal
phalynges of lat. 4 fingers on dorsal surface
Ulnar nerve Ulnar nerve injuryinjury
Motor effects: paralysis of flexor carpi ulnaris medial half of the flexor digitorum
profundus All interossei 3-4 lumbricals loss of abduction and adduction of
fingers Wasting of hypothenar
Deformity: partial claw hand Sensory effects : Sensory loss over 1.5 fingers on
both surfaces
CARPAL TUNNEL TUNNEL FORMED BETWEEN THE CONCAVITY OF THE
CARPAL BONES AND A LIGAMENT THAT COVERS THIS( FLEXOR RETINACULAM)
TENDONS OF THE FLEXORS PASS THROUGH MEDIAN NERVE ALSO PASSES THROUGH CROWDED TUNNELCARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME- CAUSED DUE TO COMPRESSION OF THE NERVE IN THE
TUNNEL- CAUSES-- 1. SWELLING OF THE TEDONS( OVERUSE)- 2. PREGNANCY( EDEMA)- 3. ARTHRITISSYMPTOMS- TINGLING OR NUMBNESS-LATERAL PART OF HAND,
WEAKNESS IN THUMB MOVEMENTTREATMENT- REST, SPLINTING,ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS,
SURGERY
Diagnosis Relies mainly on clinical examination No specific lab. Studies CT myelography MRI Nerve conduction studies
Treatment Most injuries recover without any Rx Rx is done in very highly specialized centers Surgical options
a. nerve transfers
b. nerve grafting
c. muscle transfers
d. free muscle transfers
e. neurolysis of scar around the brachial plexus in incomplete lesions.
Advances in nerve injury Rx Carlstedt obtained promising initial
results with the repair of preganglionic lesions by replanting nerve rootlets directly into the spinal cord.
This is a dramatic advance because preganglionic lesions were previously thought to be irreparable
End-to-side radial sensory to median nerve transfer has been reported to improve sensation and to relieve pain in C5 and C6 nerve root avulsion
Thank you