31-year-old Swaraj (name changed) suffered a severe nerve injury, known as a brachial-plexus injury, after a motorcycle accident in the monsoon in Pune in July last year.
“I was unable to move my right shoulder and elbow. Surgery repaired the nerve damage, making full movement of the arm a daunting challenge, requiring months of physiotherapy,” he said.
Swaraj’s case is far from unique. Traumatic brachial plexus injuries are serious, life-changing injuries that are becoming common worldwide, including in India.
Trauma injury experts have expressed concern over the rising incidence of road-traffic accidents.
In Pune, at least 70% of brachial-plexus injuries arise from road accidents, with the majority (90%) involving two-wheelers, say hand surgeons.
The plexus is composed of five main nerve roots that originate from the neck in the spine and each nerve supplies the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand, respectively.
Generally, injuries to this set of nerves occur when the arm is pulled or dragged, which is a common occurrence in road accidents mainly involving two-wheelers, said Dr Abhijit Wahegawkar, senior hand surgeon at Sancheti Hospital.
Early detection and nerve repair are key to full recovery. “If you have an injury to the neck or shoulder area and you cannot feel or move your hand or arm, you should call your health care provider to find out what is causing your symptoms. A complete physical exam, as well as radiological and electrodiagnostic tests, All are part of the initial assessment, he advised.
Nerve injuries and nerve damage are the most prevalent
Hand surgeons are trained in the important work of nerve repair. Nerve injuries and nerve damage are most prevalent in motor vehicle accidents.
Patients often present with paralysis of the arms from the shoulders down. He said that although brachial-plexus injuries in road accidents are increasing, public awareness about this is very low and patients often come to the surgeon very late.
“90 percent of road accidents are two-wheeled vehicles. Among them, about 54 percent of patients have a brachial-plexus injury associated with other injuries. And 46 percent of motor vehicle accident patients have isolated injuries to the brachial plexus,” Dr. Wahegaonkar said.
According to data from Sancheti Hospital, one of Pune’s leading referral centers for trauma injuries, most patients with brachial-plexus injuries after motorcycle accidents are in the age group of 20 to 50 years.
“Every year we receive about 100 to 120 cases of brachial plexus injuries from road accidents at Sancheti Hospital. These events are mainly in Pune and adjoining districts. In these cases, it usually appears that the right side is more affected than the left. About 50 percent of these patients have injuries to all five nerves. More than 80 percent of patients with such injuries are men, said Dr. Parag Sancheti, Chairman and Chief Orthopedic Surgeon of Sancheti Hospital.