Neonatal Traumatic Brachial Neuropathy

The first known description of neonatal brachial plexus palsy (BPP) dates from 1779 when Smellie reported the case of an infant with bilateral arm weakness that resolved spontaneously within a few days after birth. In the 1870s, Duchenne and Erb described cases of upper trunk nerve injury, attributing the findings to traction on the upper trunk, now called Erb's palsy (or Duchenne-Erb's palsy). [1] In 1885, Klumpke described injury to the C8-T1 nerve roots and the nearby stellate ganglion that now bears her name. Many cases of BPP are transient, with the child recovering full function in the first week of life. A smaller percentage of children continue to have weakness leading to long-term disability from the injury. The mainstay of treatment for these children is physical and/or occupational therapy in concert with a regular home exercise program. A select few patients may benefit from surgical intervention in the early stages to improve innervation of the affected muscles. Others benefit from tendon transfers performed later to improve shoulder and (sometimes) elbow function.