Brachial Plexus Clinic Description and Educational

Brachial plexus injuries can be severe, life-changing events. The impact of these injuries is far beyond the loss of function of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand. Many individuals with brachial plexus injuries also deal with pain, depression, loss of sensation and the emotional impact of these injuries. The OrthoCarolina Brachial Plexus team recognizes the importance of treating the entire patient and not just the affected limb. This is a multidisciplinary clinic intended to help patients by offering evaluations, the latest in surgical innovations, and a course of treatment for babies and adults with all types of brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injuries as well as tetraplegia/quadriplegia (paralysis due to spine injury at the neck level).

The Brachial Plexus Clinic, led by Drs. Glenn Gaston, Bryan Loeffler, and Daniel Lewis include several healthcare providers attending each monthly clinic. This team of physicians specializes in all elements of brachial plexus reconstruction including muscle transfers, nerve transfers, nerve grafting, free tissue transfers, evaluation and treatment of cervical (neck level) spinal cord injuries, and non-operative treatment. They treat both neonatal (baby) brachial plexus palsies and adult traumatic brachial plexus palsies.

In addition, Dr. Bobby Alexander is an on-site physiatrist at the Brachial Plexus Clinic who specializes in performing complex nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG). These studies are coordinated so that they can be performed on the same day as the patient’s office visit.

As with other OrthoCarolina Hand Specialty Clinics, the Brachial Plexus Clinic takes a strategic, team-oriented approach to individual treatment plans. All three physicians are part of the decision-making for each treatment plan, and all patients are followed to assess their outcomes with validated measures. As a multidisciplinary clinic, they work closely with other regional physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and pain management physicians. The Brachial Plexus Clinic receives multistate referrals and sees patients from many regions.

Brachial plexus research by this clinical team has been presented at national meetings including the American Society Surgery for of the Hand.