Brachial Plexus Injuries

Diagnosis

The initial patient evaluation should occur as early as possible (usually by three months) following injury, or as soon as stabilization after the trauma permits. The examination will consist of:

• Thorough medical history and physical examination
• X-rays
• Myelogram — During a myelogram, a special dye that absorbs X-rays is injected into the spinal fluid. The resulting X-ray picture shows whether the spinal nerves are injured at the spinal cord level.

• Electromyogram (EMG or electromyography) — This test measures how quickly nerves are carrying electrical signals to the muscles. A thin-needled electrode is inserted into the muscles that appear to be affected by a nerve injury. An instrument records the electrical activity in the muscle at rest and as the muscle moves (contracts).