Fortis Hospital Noida performs successful brachial plexus injury surgery on a road accident victim of 25 years of age to restore movement in his upper limb
NOIDA ROHIT SHARMA
Fortis Hospital, Noida conducted a remarkable surgery to give a new lease of life to a 25 year old road accident victim. In medical terminology, this surgery is called the Brachial plexus injury surgery. The surgery was led by Dr. Arvind Jain, Consultant, Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Department, Fortis Hospital, Noida.
Manish Kumar met with a road accident almost a year and a half back at his native town. The accident resulted in the patient losing complete movement in his right upper limb. Consultations with innumerable physicians and surgeons did not yield improvements on the upper limb.
When the patient was presented to Dr. Arvind Jain at Fortis Hospital Noida it had been a year and he was medically late for corrective surgery. A series of diagnostic tests later, the patient was diagnosed with Brachial Plexus injury. Corrective surgery for this condition is mandatory within a time span of three months post any accident for best results.
The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that sends signals from spine to shoulder, arm and hand.Signs and symptoms may include a limp or paralyzed arm, lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist, and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand. Although several mechanisms account for brachial plexus injuries, the most common is nerve compression or stretch Brachial plexus injury refers to any damage to the bundle of connected nerves in the neck region of your spinal cord which send branches down into your shoulders, arms, and hands. Brachial plexus injuries vary in severity and require extensive physiotherapy for optimised improvements in the movements of limbs.
Dr. Arvind Jain, Consultant, Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Department, Fortis Hospital, Noida said, “Some brachial plexus injuries are minor and completely recover in a few weeks. Injuries which are severe could cause some permanent disability in the arm. In this case in spite of the delay it was a risk worth taken as the patient and the family were counselled about the good and bad outcomes of the surgery and they were courageous enough to take the risks”.
Mr. Gagan Sehgal, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospital, Noida said, “Dr. Arvind Jain has added a feather to the cap by contributing his expertise in this case and to get the patient back his movement. The condition of life with brachial plexus injuries can be very depressing for patients who suffer and for them to get back their daily movement must be no less than a miracle. Plastic surgery is applied to restore nerves and arteries and offers new and better clinical treatments for our patients.”
Brachial Plexus injuries are an increasingly common outcome of road accidents and are considered notorious as they cause paralysis to the upper limbs. Many victims are unaware of this condition as awareness of this outcome in the masses is low. Guidance about this is also sadly lacking and enlightening the community has become an important issue in this area. Research reveals that almost 2-3% road accident victims end up paralysed and this is not an irreversible condition but delays add to the irreversibility.
