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brachial plexopathy
Etiology:
- injury to the brachial plexus
- traumatic stretching injuries (including birth trauma)
- pressure from tumors in the area (especially lung cancer)
- radiation therapy
- birth defects that put pressure on the neck area
- exposure to toxins, chemicals or drugs
- general anesthesia
- inflammation
- idiopathic brachial plexitis
- diabetes mellitus [1]
Pathology:
- direct nerve injury
Clinical manifestations:
- numbness of the shoulder, arm, or hand
- shoulder pain
- paresthesias
- weakness of the shoulder, arm, hand, or wrist
- weakness flexing hand
- diminished arm reflexes
- muscle atrophy
Special laboratory:
- nerve conduction studies
Radiology:
- X-ray of shoulder
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of shoulder
Complications:
- contracture
- paresis or paralysis
- loss of sensation in arm, hand or fingers
Management:
- physical therapy
- occupational therapy
- analgesia for neurogenic pain
- NSAIDs
- antidepressants (tricyclic antidepressants or duloxetine)
- anticonvulsants
- surgery
Related
brachial plexus
Specific
brachial plexus neuropathy (Parsonage-Turner syndrome)
General
plexopathy
References
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 17, 18.
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2015. 2018.
- PubMed Health: Brachial Plexopathy
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002391/
- Medline Plus: Brachial plexopathy
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001418.htm