Sound Medicine -- May 11, 2002

Barbara Lewis talks to physicians and researchers about:

Brachial plexus birth injury

Stroke teams in hospitals

Study: activities that affect women's health

Brachial plexus birth injury

Brachial plexus injury, sometimes called brachial plexus palsy, means nerve damage in the arm. The injury occurs during birth in one-to-two babies per one thousand, usually in babies weighing over 9 pounds. It results in an arm that's too weak to use, and surgery is often needed.

Dr. Alex Mih is an orthopedic surgeon who takes special interest in helping children regain use of their arms and hands by repairing the damaged nerve. Dr. Mih is an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Dr. Mih explains where in the anatomy the injury occurs, why it occurs, and which babies are at risk. Sometimes immediate physical therapy helps preserve motion. When it doesn't, Dr. Mih says, nerve graft surgery is required. He describes the operation, which in 90% of cases leads to meaningful recovery, allowing the child to flex his elbow and raise his arm. He discusses other surgeries performed later in life which also can restore function.

Resources

The National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke Web site defines the brachial plexus injury and offers a variety of links.
The United Brachial Plexus Network Web site offers information and support for parents of children with brachial plexus palsy as well as adults who sustain a brachial plexus injury. Also read "Outreach," the organization's newsletter.
The National Brachial Plexus/ Erb's Palsy Association, Inc. Web site offers information about the 2002 National Health Conference on Brachial Plexus/Erb's Palsy. Also find chat rooms and current articles.

Stroke teams in hospitals

Every minute counts when someone is having a stroke. Now a movement is afoot to have a stroke team on call in every hospital emergency room. Comprised of neurologists, nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians, a stroke team is much like an ER trauma team. Hospitals that have a stroke team have been highly successful in giving stroke victims a much better recovery.

Barbara Lewis and Dr. Chris Callahan speak with Indianapolis-based neurologist Robert Flint, MD/Phd, and chair of the American Stroke Association's "Operation Stroke" initiative. Operation Stroke is a community-wide project to improve rapid response and treatment to stroke.

Dr. Flint explains the difficulties involved in forming a hospital stroke team, which involves many specialists, from ambulance drivers to neurologists. An especial challenge is training the team to administer the dangerously potent clot-busting drug, tPA (tissue plasminogen activator). Dr. Flint says having a hospital stroke team simply increases number of patients who get acute stroke treatment. He discusses stroke statistics and urges people to know their risks and the warning signs of stroke.

Resources

Read more about the American Heart Association's "Operation Stroke" initiative.

Get details about the clot-busting drug tPA from the American Heart Association.

Find information about stroke teams in your city from the AHA's Web directory.

Study: activities that affect women's health

The difference in health between men and women boils down to this: as we age, women tend to be sicker, but men die sooner. That fact intrigued sociologist Eliza Pavalko, PhD. She is studying the effects that motherhood, caregiving in middle age, and employment have on the health of women. She also examines the changing roles of aging women in our society. Eliza Pavalko is associate professor of sociology at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Dr. Pavalko's research focuses on specific activities that affect the health of aging people, and her studies show that the stress of caregiving can lead to poorer health. As primary caregivers, women are particularly affected. Surprisingly, she reports that working outside the home improves women's health by providing another source of social support. Dr. Pavalko discusses her findings, and talks about how changing social roles of men and women are reflected in our health.

Resources

Read details about Dr. Pavalko's studies in this news article from Indiana University.

The Centers for Disease Control Web site offers tips for healthy aging. Start here to find health topics that apply to you or your family members.

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a. Polio
b. Hepatitis B, or
c. Measles, mumps, and rubella

What's the answer?

Snoring. It's a common sleep problem that can plague couples, even sending one spouse off to the couch in search of quiet. And now snoring has been identified as a sign of health problems in another group of patients you might not expect. Who are these individuals?

Find out!

Stroke victims should be treated within 3 hours -- one hour is optimum -- for most effective treatment. Call 911 immediately upon noticing one or more of these warning signs:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. You may have difficulty moving one arm or notice that one side of your face droops.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding speech and written information.
• Sudden difficulty seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Are you at risk for stroke? Read about risk factors, and how you can lower yours, at the Indiana State Department of health.

Source: Indiana State Department of Health