Brachial plexus injuries and the electrodiagnostic examination

Brachial plexus injuries represent a complex clinical challenge from both a diagnostic and treatment standpoint. Given the potential etiologic mechanisms of injury, as well as the varied number of anatomic sites vulnerable to such injury, it is essential that a precise diagnostic approach be utilized. From a neurophysiologic perspective, the electrodiagnostic examination has been shown to be the most powerful tool to evaluate brachial plexus injuries in all of their complexity. This article summarizes the more recent literature with regard to the electrodiagnostic approach to brachial plexus injuries, and discusses its clinical relevance.