Isolated medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve injury after blunt trauma: a case report

BACKGROUND: The medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve is a branch of the brachial plexus that contains C8–T1 segments. Injury of this nerve by various mechanisms has been reported in the literature; however, currently, there is no reported case of medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve injury in the setting of acute blunt trauma. CASE PRESENTATION: This case report presents the case of a 34-year-old Persian female with dysesthesia and pain in the medial side of the forearm immediately following a blunt trauma by mechanism of elbow external rotation. On electrodiagnostic evaluation, the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve sensory nerve action potential of the symptomatic side had a significant amplitude drop (more than 50%), compared with the other side. On follow-up electrodiagnosis, after several sessions of physical therapy, the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve sensory nerve action potential still had a significant amplitude difference. CONCLUSION: Blunt trauma can be one of the causes of medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve involvement. An electrodiagnostic study can be helpful in the diagnosis of this nerve injury after blunt trauma.