What Is Klumpke's Palsy?

Klumpke's Palsy is a birth injury that occurs when a baby sustains injury to the brachial plexus during birth. Palsy statistics show that there is a brachial plexus injury every five hundred to one thousand births. Klumpke's Palsy is one of several Brachial Plexus injuries. These injuries also include Brachial Plexus Palsy and Shoulder Dystocia.

Causes of Klumpke's Palsy

There are four basic nerve injuries suffered during delivery that can result in a brachial plexus injury, leading to Klumpke's Palsy. An avulsion occurs when the nerve is torn from the spine during birth. An avulsion is the most dangerous brachial plexus injury. A rupture occurs when the nerve tears, but remains attached to the spine. When the nerve attempts to heal itself after being torn, a neuroma can form. A neuroma is scar tissue that occurs when the nerve attempts to heal itself after being torn, and a praxis occurs when the nerve does not tear, healing by itself in a few months.

Prevention of Klumpke's Palsy

Klumpke's Palsy, can be prevented by anticipating the various risk factors that lead to it. These risk factors include gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain from pregnancy, obesity, expectant mothers with a small pelvis, mothers who have previously given birth to large babies, and mothers in post-term pregnancy.

Klumpke's palsy is preventable in most cases. Doctor's should know how to ensure a healthy delivery, whether complications arise or not. Up to three in a thousand births suffer a brachial plexus injury during delivery, sometimes causing Klumpke's Palsy. Medical malpractice or negligence could be the cause.

Symptoms of Klumpke's Palsy

Symptoms of Klumpke's Palsy occur from damage to the seventh and eighth cervical and first thoracic nerves. Common signs of Klumpke's palsy are a limp hand, and fingers that do not move. Sometimes, a victim of Klumpke's Palsy will also suffer from Horners syndrome, which causes droopy eyelids, and a the pupil of the affected eye to be smaller than the unaffected eye.

Klumpke's Palsy Treatment

Treatment of Klumpke's Palsy includes surgery that attempt to repair the damaged nerves. Physical therapy and daily exercise are implemented to increase or maintain range of motion in the affected side. There is usually no physical improvement after two years of age. An occupational therapist can sometimes help the patient learn to live with the condition.