Erb’s Palsy - which part of brachial plexus is damaged?
Upper brachial plexus injury
C5 and C6
Erb’s palsy - clinical sign?
Waiter’s tip
adduction of shoulder, medial rotation, pronation of forearm
Erb’s palsy - causes?
Excessive increase in angle between the neck and shoulder
Difficult birth or shoulder trauma
Klumpke’s Palsy - which part of brachial plexus is damaged?
Lower brachial plexus injury
(C8) and T1
Klumpke’s palsy - clinical sign?
Clawed hand
MCP hyperextension and DIP + PIP flexion
Klumpke’s palsy - causes?
Excessive abduction of the arm
Birth trauma
Catching a fall from a tree by grabbing onto a branch
Which is more common - erb’s or Klumpke’s?
Erb’s palsy
Loss of sensation over lateral area of arm?
- Nerve damaged
- Causes
Axillary nerve injury
Dislocation of shoulder
Neck of humerus fracture
Wrist drop?
- Nerve damaged
- Causes
Radial nerve injury
(unopposed flexion)
Humeral shaft fracture
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Symptoms
- Nerve affected
Numbness, tingling and pain in distribution of median nerve
Nerve at risk from a supracondylar fracture of humerus?
Median nerve
Ulnar nerve injury
- Clinical sign
- Where is it most likely to be damaged
Claw hand (hyperextension at MCP and flexion at DIP + PIP)
Patient cannot grip paper placed in their hand
Fracture of medial epicondyle or injury at wrist
