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

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

• Brachial plexus
• Sternotomy
• Magnetic resonance imaging