Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Treatment

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Infants born with brachial plexus damage have varying degrees of symptoms and disability. Brachial plexus birth injury treatment for mild cases is gentle physical therapy and time to heal. For those with more severe damage, surgery can help repair damaged nerves and restore some function to the arm.[1]

What Is a Brachial Plexus Injury?

The brachial plexus is a bundle of five nerves that attach to the spinal cord and spread out to smaller nerves that control various parts of the arm (from the shoulder down to the fingers). During childbirth, overstretching may damage these nerves.

Pulling on the infant’s head as it comes through the birth canal, twisting the head and neck with respect to the shoulder, and even pressure in the birth canal can stretch the nerves of the brachial plexus.

Another possible cause of stretching is when a child is born breech, and their upraised arms stretch the nerves as they emerge from the birth canal. Risk factors for this damage include a large baby, breech birth, shoulder dystocia, and prolonged, difficult labor.

The injury to the nerves may be mild and cause damage simply by stretching them, or could be more severe, including rips or complete tears away from the spinal cord. The symptoms of this kind of damage include paralysis, weakness, and loss of sensation in the arm.

The collection of symptoms caused by brachial plexus injury is called brachial plexus palsy. The specific nerves involved will lead to dysfunction in certain areas. Erb’s palsy refers to damage that causes symptoms in the upper part of the arm.

Lower arm symptoms are sometimes called Klumpke’s palsy. Damage caused by injury to all five brachial plexus nerves may be called global palsy, which may affect the function of the entire arm.

Non-Surgical Treatment for Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries

Some damage to the brachial plexus during childbirth isn’t rare, and in most instances, the injury is mild. A little overstretching, or even a moderate amount, is typically the type of injury that does not require much treatment. Most infants born with this will recover naturally as the nerves heal over three to four months.[2]

Infants with noticeable palsy caused by mild-to-moderate nerve damage benefit from physical therapy as the nerves heal.

Physical therapy can include a range of motion movements, strength and muscle-building exercises, gentle massage, and mobilization of joints.

Aquatic therapy can also be helpful for some children, as can neuromuscular electrical stimulation, which entails using a mild electrical current to stimulate muscle movement.

Nerve Graft

If improvements are not seen or are inadequate by six months, surgery to correct nerve damage may be an option. Surgical treatment for these injuries is only necessary when nerves do not heal independently.[3]

If babies don’t improve within about six months, this could mean the damage was more severe and likely included tearing or some areas of complete separation from the spinal cord.

In the case of a nerve that is overstretched, not healing, or torn, a surgeon may perform a nerve graft to repair damage and restore sensation and movement.

This involves using a donor’s nerve, typically from another part of the patient’s own body, and grafting it onto the damaged nerve to bypass the tear and promote healing.

Nerve Transfer

In even more severe cases, particularly when the nerve has torn away from the spinal cord, a nerve transfer may be needed. During this procedure, a nearby nerve is redirected to reconnect the damaged brachial plexus nerve.[3]

In some cases, a nerve transfer may be used instead of a nerve graft for a damaged nerve but not separated from the spinal cord. In this case, a transfer can be more targeted than a graft and may restore more sensation and movement to the affected muscle.

Other Surgical Treatments for Brachial Plexus Injuries

Other types of surgeries may help children with brachial plexus injuries recover more movement or sensation. These may include muscle or tendon transfers.

This is most often done when surgery on the nerves is not possible because it has been delayed until the age of 12 months or older.

Severing and reconnecting muscles and tendons can restore some motion to affected arms and joints. Other surgeries that can help a child with brachial plexus injury include removing scar tissue from damaged nerves, shoulder and elbow reconstructions, and arthroscopic surgeries.

Botox Injections

Another treatment option for brachial plexus injuries is an injection of botulinum toxin A, also known as Botox. This toxin comes from a bacterium and causes paralysis.

Injections of Botox can be localized to cause paralysis only where it is needed. There is a low risk that the toxin will spread to other body parts.

Botox is used to help bring balance to the joints for brachial plexus injuries. When the shoulder or elbow is imbalanced, it is usually because one muscle, unaffected by the nerve damage, is stronger than another and is overpowering it.

Botox can temporarily paralyze or weaken that muscle so that the other one can become stronger with more use and will eventually balance out. Physical therapy to strengthen that muscle is typically utilized with Botox injections.

What Is the Latest in Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Treatment?

Brachial plexus birth injuries are common and result in varying degrees of disability. Researchers continue to look for better ways to treat the damage and restore function.

Recent research focused on creating the right conditions for nerve restoration after a brachial plexus injury. The researchers used chemotherapy medications to help the peripheral nerves penetrate the spinal cord.

The ability to get into the spinal cord is vital for regenerating nerve connections, but it isn’t always possible after a brachial plexus injury. Researchers are hopeful that this approach could repair damage and restore function without resorting to surgery.[4] 

Can Brachial Plexus Injuries Be Treated in Adulthood?

Typically, the most important treatments occur at an early age. In some cases, an individual can benefit from ongoing therapy or even a surgical procedure at a later age.

One example comes from a young man in Canada who lived with significant pain from a brachial plexus birth injury into adulthood.[5] He underwent surgeries as a child, but still had a lot of pain and disability.

Finally, in his 20s, he came to the U.S. for specialists who could provide a surgery to improve mobility and reduce pain in his arm.

The specialists removed scar tissue from the damaged nerves, which alleviated a lot of his pain. They also rotated his humerus bone to give his arm more movement. After decades of struggling, he saw major improvements from this surgery, proving it’s never too late to seek specialist treatment.

What Is the Prognosis for a Brachial Plexus Injury?

The outlook for a brachial plexus injury is usually good. Most babies will recover and have no or only mild disabilities. The best way to improve the prognosis for your baby is to get treatment as soon as possible.

Brachial plexus injuries are not always serious, but they can be. If you have a child born with this type of injury, you could be dealing with months of therapy and even surgeries.

Your child could be facing lifelong complications. If you believe someone was at fault during childbirth, you may have a case to make for compensation. Contact an experienced birth injury lawyer to get started.