Brachial Plexus Coursework Example

Brachial Plexus
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Brachial Plexus
Brachial plexus is a connection of nerve fibres formed by the roots of the lower four cervical nerves and the first thoracic nerve (Magee, 2014). Brachial plexus injury refers to a variety of conditions that may impact the performance of the brachial plexus nerve network. Symptoms of this injury include muscle weakness, loss of sensation and avulsion pain. Impact on the brachial plexus can occur in traumatic or non-traumatic conditions and may damage parts like the nerves, trunks, and cords. The lateral cord, the main subject of this essay, is divided into two; the lateral branch of the median nerve and musculocutaneous nerve.
The lateral cord injury is normally caused by dislocation of the humerus. A patient suffering from this injury, more often than not, experiences sensory loss just beneath the elbow. The sensory loss is caused by compression of the lateral cord by the biceps and tendon against the fascia of coracobrachialis muscle. When the nerve is entrapped between these muscles, the patient will be in a lot of pain. Sometimes the pain will feel like a pinch beneath the skin. The patient will also present with paralysis of pronator teres, flexor carpi, radialis, palmaris longus, flexor digitorum superficially, biceps and coracobrachialis muscles (Magee, 2014).
Functionality loss experienced by the patient includes weakness in flexing the elbow due to lesions of the musculocutaneous nerve, which also produce the weakness of supination.

Loss of sensory ability on the lateral side of the forearm will hinder important neuron messages from being transmitted to the brain. The patient might also lose the ability to flex their wrist due to paralysis of flexor digitorum superficialis. Vasomotor dysfunctions and tropic changes may also be observed in a patient with an injured lateral cord.
Reference
Magee, D. J. (2014). Orthopedic Physical Assessment. Elsevier Health Services, 6th ed.