Surgical Treatments for Brachial Plexus Injuries

Once your newborn or child has been seen by a Doctor, Medical Professional, or Neo-Natal Specialist, he or she will refer you to a Plastic Surgeon or Brachial Plexus Specialist who will evaluate whether or not your son or daughter needs surgery. Don’t be afraid. This is the regular proceedure, even if you are currently working with a Physical or Occupational Therapist.

If surgery is recommended, one or more of the following types may be done.

PRIMARY SURGERIES

1. Primary Surgery Nerve Grafting: Primary Surgery Nerve Grafting is an attempt to fix or restore the nerves in newborns. The Physician would go straight to the injury to see exactly what the injury is. The Surgeon dissects the nerve tissue, without removing scar tissue, hoping this will allow better nerve impulses.

2. Nerve Graft Procedure: Nerve Graft Procedure is whena Physician takes a superficial nerve from a child, donor, or baby’s calf and transplants it to the Brachial Plexus. The nerve graft helps to move nerve impulses from the spinal cord down to the limb, bypassing the affected tissue.

SECONDARY SURGERIES:

Secondary Surgery’s goal is to help treat the reduction in nerve supply, like restoring function to the nerve or relieving pain.

1. Mod/Quad: Mod/Quad includes musce transfers, muscle relief, nerve decompression, and nuerolysis.

2. Tendon Transfers: Tendon Transfers are a lot like nerve grafts. Part of the tendon of either the donor or child is removed from another part of the body and placed in the injured area. As the child grows bigger, this area where the small part of the tendon was removed becomes smaller.

3. Humeral Osteotmies: Humeral Ostermies involves cutting back the bone in order to rotate the humerus back into its proper position.

4. Triangle Tilt Surgery: Triangle Tilt Surgery is done to restore the arm to a more nuetral position, by shifting the location of the collar bone and the shoulder blade. The procedure helps improve the infant or child’s shoulder’s function, and reduce dislocation of the shoulder joint.