Long term outcome in obstetric brachial plexus injury at a tertiary care center

Abstract

Background/Aim: Obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI) is caused by traction to the brachial plexus during labor. Traction injury may vary from neurapraxia or axonotmesis to neurotmesis and can cause edema, avulsion, or rupture of the nerve. Improvement in the first two weeks after birth is a good indicator of outcome. The disability varies according to the location and severity of the effect in the plexus. However, most injuries are transient, with a total return of function in many cases. This study aimed to obtain clues for the prevention and follow-up of obstetric brachial plexus injuries by revealing the outcome and clinical features. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, hospital records of patients with brachial plexus injury due to delivery were reviewed between January 2017 and September 2021. Injury levels, birth weights, other injuries at birth, maternal age, gravidity, gestation time, and treatment response were recorded. Brachial plexus injuries of the patients were classified per the NARAKAS classification. The Spearman correlation and Pearson correlation tests were used for correlation analyses. The variables were evaluated with the Chi-Square and Student's t-tests. The normality of the distribution was assessed with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. A value of P