Center for Brachial Plexus Injuries

At NYU Langone’s Center for Brachial Plexus Injuries, our experts work together to provide advanced treatment for adults and children who have a brachial plexus injury. Combining our decades of surgical expertise and leading-edge surgical technologies, we treat patients from around the United States and the globe.

A brachial plexus injury is damage to the major nerves that cross the junction between the neck and the arm. These injuries occur most commonly as a result of motor vehicle accidents, but they can also result from other traumas or injuries, such as birth injuries. Mild brachial plexus injuries may heal with time, while more complex injuries may require surgery to avoid loss of movement or function in the shoulder, arm, or hand.

We partner with you to ensure the best possible recovery after a brachial plexus injury. Each patient is evaluated by our team of specialists that includes orthopedic surgeons, hand and wrist surgeons, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and neurologists. Our experts tailor an individualized treatment plan for you, which may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, or surgery.

Our Surgical Expertise

If surgery is recommended, recent advances in microsurgical techniques allow our doctors to offer new and effective approaches for brachial plexus injuries. We can perform nerve reconstruction microsurgery to reduce pain and restore sensation and motor movements in the arm, elbow, wrist, and hand. We also perform procedures including tendon and muscle transfers, contracture release, and other reconstruction techniques. 

Our Therapy Program

In many cases, our patients are able to avoid surgery after following our well-designed therapeutic interventions. Our therapy program, which includes experts from Rusk Rehabilitation, aims to help patients maintain muscle strength and the full range of motion in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand joints. We also prevent muscle loss through electrical stimulation and help ease pain through transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Advanced imaging, occupational therapy rooms, and surgical and recovery facilities are all provided through the Center for Brachial Plexus Injuries. We also offer video visits for those who would prefer not to travel or who would rather receive care in the comfort of their own home.