Patient: Description of condition (onset, main symptoms, hospital visited, etc.): When the girl was born, she was pulled out by an external force, resulting in C5C6 rupture and C7 avulsion of the brachial plexus nerve, and was operated on at 6 months of age. Now she is 5 years old and can write and draw with her right hand. He can feel his nose and the back of his head, but it is difficult for him to do so and he has to shrug his shoulders to use his strength. The right hand hardly moves when walking, especially when running, and is prone to fall. He is uncoordinated, and his right arm is somewhat short and thin without strength. Can I get further treatment? Please recommend which hospital in Beijing is the best at treating this condition. Which specialist is better? Thank you very much!
Hospital hand surgery: Good evening! According to your description, your child is suffering from a birth-related brachial plexus injury, or “birth palsy”. According to your description of the treatment and the current functional status of the limb, the effect of the previous surgery is very good, and the chance of operating on the brachial plexus nerve again is not great. The first professional hospital in Beijing for the treatment of birth palsy is the hand surgery department of Jishuitan Hospital, and the rehabilitation department of the hospital is also better. It is recommended to see a specialist first, and you can register through the internet. I wish you well!
Patient: Thank you, Director Li! I just came back from a business trip and I didn’t have time to send you a reply, so I’m very sorry! Please forgive me! Other patients’ families and doctors also said that my child has recovered very well, but I would like to ask you again: what does functional reconstruction mean?
Hospital hand surgery: Functional reconstruction is no longer surgery on the brachial plexus, but orthopaedic surgery for the sequelae, which we call “addition”. Because there are certain risks in every surgery, especially in the case of brachial plexus injury with good postoperative results. Before each surgery, the surgeon will assess the magnitude of the positive and negative effects of the surgery and decide whether to operate or what surgical option to use.
In your child’s current situation, you can go to a specialized hospital for examination and orthopedic surgery such as bone and joint or tendon displacement, or functional reconstruction, for the most problematic disorder.