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Development of a Neonatal Rat Model for Brachial Plexus Birth Injury
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Arachnoid cyst masquerading as obstetric brachial plexus palsy
Natarajan Muthukumar1, Alwar Govindan Santhanakrishnan, Krishnaswamy Sivakumar
1Department of Neurosurgery, Madurai Medical College, Madurai, India. drnmuthukumar@yahoo.com
Journal of Neurosurgery. Pediatrics
|June 12, 2012
Summary
A rare spinal cyst mimicked obstetric brachial plexus palsy in an infant. Surgical removal of the cervicothoracic arachnoid cyst led to neurological improvement, highlighting its importance in differential diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Spinal Cord Imaging
Background:
- Obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP) is a common birth injury affecting newborns.
- Rarely, other conditions can present with symptoms similar to OBPP, complicating diagnosis.
Observation:
- A case report details an infant girl with decreased right upper extremity movement, initially suspected as OBPP.
- Despite no improvement after 7 months, an MRI revealed a cervicothoracic spinal extradural arachnoid cyst.
Findings:
- The arachnoid cyst was surgically excised and found to communicate with the dura near the C-7 nerve root.
- Post-surgery, the infant showed significant neurological status improvement within six months.
Implications:
- This case underscores the necessity of considering spinal arachnoid cysts in the differential diagnosis of OBPP.
- Early identification and surgical intervention for such cysts can lead to favorable neurological outcomes in affected infants.
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