Rupture: one or more nerves are torn, but not at the spinal cord.Neuroma: a condition in which scar tissue has grown around a disrupted nerve.The test can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of the injury and the amount of information the physician requires.īased on the surgeon’s findings, adult patients may be diagnosed with any one of the following conditions: The test entails stimulating the nerves with small electric shocks and inserting small acupuncture-like needles in certain muscles. “A decision to perform surgery and the type of operation needed will often depend on this information.” He adds that the EMG test can also be used to monitor recovery. “The test is primarily used to assess the degree of nerve injury and determine the location of the injury, and the resulting information is used to help understand the likelihood and degree of recovery,” he explains. Feinberg, MD, electrodiagnostic testing (often known as EMG testing) assesses nerve function and is commonly used in the evaluation of brachial plexus injuries. In addition to performing a physical examination, orthopedists evaluate brachial plexus injuries using MRIs, CT scans, and electro-diagnostic tests.įigures 2 & 3: CT myelogram showing a normal brachial plexus (left) and injured brachial plexus (right)Īccording to HSS physiatrist Joseph H. Brachial plexus injuries in children usually occur at birth.
In some cases, however, a tumor or radiation may be the underlying cause. In adults, brachial plexus injuries are almost always the result of a high impact injury, such as a motorcycle, skiing, or snowboarding accident. In addition to “communicating” with the muscles that lift, lower, straighten, and bend the arm, the nerve complex serves as the pathway to communicate sensory perception to the brain. The nerves divide and join repeatedly before terminating in several peripheral nerves that branch out to supply the muscles of the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and hand.
The nerves that make up the brachial plexus originate at the spinal cord and correspond to four cervical (neck) vertebrae and one thoracic (upper back) vertebra.įigure 1: The nerves of the brachial plexus in relation to the spine, ribcage, shoulder, and arm Overview: The nerves of the brachial plexus Overview: The nerves of the brachial plexus.Fortunately, new advances in nerve surgery can yield marked improvement in movement and function of the shoulder, elbow, and hand, while simultaneously diminishing pain.
Injuries to the brachial plexus (the nerves that conduct signals to the shoulder, arm, and hand) can have devastating consequences, including loss of function and chronic pain.
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