Premium
Histopathological basis of Horner's syndrome in obstetric brachial plexus palsy differs from that in adult brachial plexus injury
Author(s) -
Huang YiGang,
Chen Liang,
Gu YuDong,
Yu GuangRong
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.20960
Subject(s) - brachial plexus , medicine , palsy , brachial plexus injury , birth injury , anatomy , surgery , anesthesia , pregnancy , pathology , alternative medicine , genetics , biology
Although Horner's syndrome is usually taken as an absolute indicator of avulsions of the C8 and T1 ventral roots in adult brachial plexus injury, its pathological basis in obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP) is unclear. We therefore examined the morphological mechanism for the presence of Horner's syndrome in brachial plexus injury in infants and adults. Some axons of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in T1 innervate the superior cervical ganglion via the C7 ventral root in infants but not in adults. Therefore, the presence of Horner's syndrome may relate in part to avulsion of the C7 root in OBPP. These findings suggest that Horner's syndrome in OBPP is not necessarily indicative of avulsions of the C8 and T1 roots, as it can occur with avulsion of the C7 root. Muscle Nerve, 2008