The aetiology of brachial plexus injury: What the paediatrician and obstetrician need to know

Clodagh S. O'Gorman, M. B. O'Neill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The recognition of brachial plexus injury (BPI) after childbirth suggests to parents a causative rather than temporal relationship. This view is supported by textbooks of paediatrics, which state that: 1. "the mechanism of injury (....) is a forceful separation of the head from the shoulder by lateral bending of the neck with simultaneous shoulder depression, during vaginal delivery"; and 2. "these injuries are due to traction on the brachial plexus during delivery."2 Although an obstetrician will talk to a parent when BPI occurs, the ongoing care of the child is within a mutidisciplinary team, where the paediatrician and obstetrician play leading roles. Parents will ask about aetiology, treatment and prognosis; but is the BPI and outline some data on BPI, which is not congruent with current paediatric texts.

Original languageEnglish
JournalIrish Medical Journal
Volume99
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - May 2006
Externally publishedYes

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