The Dead Bring Injured Arms Back to Life Medical News and Health Information
The Dead Bring Injured Arms Back to Life -- Research Summary
BACKGROUND: The brachial plexus consists of a network of nerves that originate near the neck and shoulder. These nerves begin at the spinal cord in the neck and are responsible for control of the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The brachial plexus includes nerves that are both motor and sensory. When an Injury occurs to a nerve it can stop signals to and from the brain, preventing the muscles of the arm and hand from working properly, and causing loss of feeling in the area supplied by the injured nerve. When a nerve is cut, both the nerve and the insulation become severed. Pressure or stretching injuries can cause the fibers that carry the information to break and stop the nerve from working. Some brachial plexus injuries are minor and will recover in a few weeks, other injuries can lead to a more permanent disability. (Source: http://www.assh.org/ )
INJURY SYMPTOMS: Those with brachial plexus injuries will experience problems with sensation and lack of muscle control in the hand, arm and shoulder area. Generally, symptoms include pain, numbness, and difficulty moving. “Depending on the amount of nerves that are injured sometimes they lose shoulder/elbow function, sometimes they lose everything,” Allan Peljovich, Medical Director of Pediatric Hand & Upper Extremity Program, Brachial Plexus Program at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta said. (Source: http://www.bettermedicine.com/)
CAUSES: The network of nerves is fragile and can be damaged by pressure, stretching, or cutting. If the head and neck are forced opposite of the shoulder stretching can occur. If severe enough, the nerves can actually tear out of their roots in the neck. Brachial plexus injuries can occur from a variety of causes including difficultly during child birth, while playing sports, or from motorcycle accidents. (Source: http://www.assh.org/)
NEW TREATMENT: Many brachial plexus injuries can recover with time and therapy depending on the severity of the injury. However, when an injury is unlikely to improve, several surgical techniques can be used to improve the recovery. In some cases, surgical repair of the nerves or transfer of undamaged nerves can be performed. Traditional surgery for brachial injuries consisted of using a graft from the patient’s own body. Doctors are now able to use nerve grafts from cadavers that custom fit to the patients’ damaged nerves. “In terms of time savings and the fact that you can really get good nerve match for the defects that we’re treating, if this proves to be as effective as traditional donor nerve, which so far its seems to be, then I think I will likely replace much of the donor nerves that we use today,” Dr. Pelvich said.
Doctors feel this is a great advancement from the traditional surgery because of the ease and smoothness of the surgery. (Source: http://www.ubpn.org/) MORE
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Allan Peljovich, MD
(404) 255- 0226
DrP@HandCenterGA.com
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