The Role of MRI in the Diagnosis of Post-sternotomy Injuries of the Brachial Plexus

Document Type : Case Report

Authors

1 Junior Researcher, Post-graduation Program in Medicine (Radiology) at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-901, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2 Assistant Physician, Division of Radiology, General Hospital at the University of Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, Caxias do Sul, Brazil

3 Cardiac Surgeon and Consultant Radiologists, Department of Cardiac Surgery and Department of Radiology, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, L14 3PE, Liverpool, United Kingdom

4 Radiologist, Department of Radiology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, 90020-090, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Abstract

Brachial Plexus Injury (BPI) is an uncommon complication of median sternotomy capable of causing a permanent or transitory sensitivity and/or motor function impairment in the upper limbs. During a cardiac surgery through sternotomy, for the assessment of the thoracic cage configuration and the site of mediastinal structures, a broader surgical field may be required. If the sternal retractors are overstretched, the costovertebral junctions are likely to be dislocated damaging the adjacent soft tissues at the same time. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the modality of choice for estimating the degree of physical damage to the brachial plexus. In this paper, we intended to report the MRI findings of a chronic case of BPI following a cardiac surgery

Keywords

References

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Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Medicine
Volume 3, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
January 2015
Pages 281-283

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