What’s in a Name…

Brachial Plexus injuries that occur at birth have been called by many names. Throughout scientific writings, mass media, and the internet, the name used to describe the injury varies greatly depending on the motivation of the writer or presenter. The most common name among lawyers are Obstetrical Palsy or Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Palsy. Other names include Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy, Neonatal Brachial Plexus Injury, Erb’s Palsy, and a combination of any of the above. At Plexus Nexus, one of our first goals was to find an accurate name out of this word salad that reflected a scientific understanding of the disease process, causation, and timing. A consensus was reached among all Plexus Nexus members that the name we would all use going forward would be Brachial Plexus Birth Injury. The name reflects the location (the brachial plexus), the timing (birth), and the type of pathology (injury).

History

Plexus Nexus was initiated in 2016 to bring together leading experts in Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries from around the world. The goal of the consortium is to share clinical and basic science expertise to try to both find ways to prevent Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries and to fully cure injuries that do occur. Our first meeting, held at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital in 2017, included over 50 clinicians and scientists from around the world. Our second meeting in September of 2018 at the Boston Children's Hospital hosted around 50 participants, including 25 surgeons and 20 therapists. The third meeting took place at the Caesars Palace Convention Center in Las Vegas, and for the first time included representatives from the United Brachial Plexus Network.

Get in touch

We at Plexus Nexus know that finding the right resources to get answers and to find the best care for your child can be frustrating. There is a lot of inaccurate and dated information on the internet, and we can help cut though the fog. Visit our Plexus University page or ask us a question below. 

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