brachial plexus injury


brachial plexus injury

in obstetrics, damage to the brachial plexus related to delivery; associated with excessive lateral stretching of the head, typically in cases of shoulder dystocia or breech deliveries.
See also: brachial birth palsy.

obstetric brachial plexus palsy

A specific type of brachial plexus injury caused by mechanical injury during a difficult childbirth, due either to excessive lateral flexion of the head on the trunk during delivery of the shoulders (shoulder dystocia), or delivery of the head in a traction injury to one or more components of the brachial plexus, resulting in stretching of the plexus.

brachial plexus injury

Obstetrics The squashing of the brachial plexus, almost always due to a shoulder dystocia in a vaginal delivery, which is often associated with transient paralysis See Operative vaginal delivery.

bra·chi·al plex·us in·ju·ry

(brā'kē-ăl plek'sŭs in'jŭr-ē) Damage to the brachial plexus related to delivery; associated with excessive lateral stretching of the head, typically in cases of shoulder dystocia or breech deliveries.