Case report

Oberlin partial ulnar nerve transfer for restoration in obstetric brachial plexus palsy of a newborn: case report

Koji Shigematsu , Hiroshi Yajima , Yasunori Kobata , Kenji Kawamura , Naoki Maegawa and Yoshinori Takakura

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan

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Journal of Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Injury 2006, 1:3doi:10.1186/1749-7221-1-3

Published:	29 September 2006

Abstract

An 8 month old male infant with Erb's birth palsy was treated with two peripheral nerve transfers. Except for rapid motor reinnervations, elbow flexion was obtained by an Oberlin's partial ulnar nerve transfer, while shoulder abduction was restored by an accessory-to-suprascapular nerve transfer. The initial contraction of the biceps muscle occurred two months after surgery. Forty months after surgery, elbow flexion reached M5 without functional loss of the ulnar nerve. This case demonstrates an excellent result of an Oberlin's nerve transfer for restoration of flexion of the elbow joint in Erb's birth palsy. However, at this time partial ulnar nerve transfer for Erb's birth palsy is an optional procedure; a larger number of cases will need to be studied for it to be widely accepted as a standard procedure for Erb's palsy at birth.