Brachial plexus palsy or Erb’s Palsy, is a condition that affects the movement and sensation of the arm due to injury to the brachial plexus nerves during birth. The severity of brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) tend to vary, and treatment approaches can depend on the extent of nerve damage and functional impairment. Both surgical and non-surgical treatments are available to address the condition, aiming to restore function, improve mobility, and enhance quality of life for affected individuals.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
- Range of motion exercises: Gentle stretching and passive movements help prevent joint contractures and maintain flexibility.
- Strength training: Targeted exercises to strengthen muscles in the affected arm and shoulder.
- Functional training: These are activities aimed at improving daily tasks and functional independence.
- Adaptive equipment: Use of assistive devices or adaptive tools to facilitate activities of daily living.
Splinting and Bracing
- Dynamic splinting: Devices that use spring-loaded mechanisms to assist with passive stretching and joint positioning.
- Static splints: Maintain proper alignment and support during rest periods to prevent contractures.
Electrical Stimulation
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): This therapy helps manage pain and improve muscle function through electrical impulses.
- Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES): Facilitates muscle contractions to strengthen weakened muscles and improve motor control.
Pain Management
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or analgesics may be prescribed to alleviate pain associated with muscle spasms or nerve irritation.
Surgical Treatments
Nerve Surgery
This may include procedures such as nerve grafting, which is the transplantation of nerves from another part of the body to repair damaged segments of the brachial plexus. It may also include a procedure known as nerve transfer, referring to the re-routing healthy nerves to restore function to specific muscles or areas of the arm affected by paralysis.
Muscle and Tendon Surgery
This could involve tendon transfers, which is the repositioning of tendons from less critical muscles to enhance the function of more crucial muscles or muscle transfers, which is the transplantation of muscle tissue to improve movement and strength in the affected arm.
Joint Surgery
This might include joint release, which refers to the surgical release of tight or contracted joints to improve range of motion and prevent deformities. It may also involve a procedure known as joint fusion, which is the stabilization of unstable joints through surgical fusion to enhance stability and function.
Surgeons might also choose to perform orthopedic interventions with procedures such as osteotomy, which is the surgical reshaping of bones to improve alignment and function. They may also use external fixation devices or temporary devices to stabilize fractures or assist in bone healing.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
The costs of caring for a child with brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) can add up very quickly. If your child’s injury was caused by medical negligence (carelessness), you may be able to seek compensation for damages including loss of earnings, medical expenses, cost of hospitalization, ongoing treatment and therapies, psychological counseling, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. One of our clients secured a $2,850,000 verdict that was reduced by the appeals court to $1,846,000 because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate (appeals) courts for many, many years. In addition we recovered $1,400,000 for a newborn who lost motion in the arm during birth due to doctors applying incorrect force on the baby’s head. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
We have seen cases where New York City Health and Hospital Corporation facilities deliver babies who are born with brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) stemming from negligence (carelessness), and/or medical malpractice during the labor and delivery of the children.
The following list identifies some of these hospitals (operated by New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation):
• Jacobi Hospital aka Bronx Municipal 1400 Pelham Parkway South Bronx, New York 10461 718-918-5000
• Lincoln Hospital 234 East 149th Street Bronx, New York 10451 718-579-5000
• North Central Bronx Hospital 3424 Kossuth Avenue Bronx, New York 10467 718-519-5000
• Coney Island Hospital 2601 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11235 718-616-3000
• Kings County Hospital 451 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11203 718-245-3131
• Woodhull Hospital 760 Broadway Brooklyn, New York 11206 718-963-8000
• Bellevue Hospital 462 First Avenue New York, New York 10016 212-562-5555
• Harlem Hospital 506 Lenox Avenue New York, New York 10037 212-939-1000
• Metropolitan Hospital 1901 First Avenue New York, New York 10029 212-423-6262
• Elmhurst Hospital 79-01 Broadway Elmhurst, New York 11373 718-334-4000
• Queens Hospital Center 82-68 164th Street Jamaica, New York 11432 718-883-3000
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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