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Brian Murray, MSc, MB, BCh, BAO; Asa J. Wilbourn, MD

Arch Neurol. 2002;59:1186-1188.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

INTRODUCTION

The brachial plexus (literal translation: arm "braid," "the interweaving of strands") has been discussed in the medical literature through the centuries, from the first anatomical dissections in the classical period to the injuries that may be sustained during modern medical procedures. In this article, we discuss a few interesting historical aspects concerning brachial plexus anatomy and brachial plexopathies resulting from various kinds of trauma. Finally, we consider the condition neuralgic amyotrophy, which is often considered a type of brachial plexopathy.

THE BIRTH OF OBSTETRICAL PARALYSIS

Obstetrical palsy involving injury to the upper trunk of the brachial plexus was first described by Smellie¹ (1764) who believed that prolonged pressure on the arm in utero led to the subsequent palsy. More than a century later (1872), Duchenne² described 4 cases of infantile upper trunk brachial plexopathy that resulted from delivery, the injury occurring as the arm . . . [Full Text of this Article]

ROOT AVULSION INJURIES

The Celebrated Case of Flaubert

The Pittsburgh Incident

CLASSIC POSTOPERATIVE BRACHIAL PLEXOPATHY

NEURALGIC AMYOTROPHY

From the Department of Neurology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio. Mr Murray is now with the Department of Neurology, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.