Treatment of Brachial Plexitis: A Complication of Brachial Plexus Regional Nerve Block

Brachial plexitis is a rare condition characterized by inflammation within the brachial plexus presenting with acute shoulder pain, with motor and sensory deficits of the upper extremity. This case involves a 56-year-old female presenting with brachial plexitis after undergoing rotator cuff repair with a regional nerve block to the right brachial plexus. The diagnosis was made on her clinical presentation of fever with swelling and pain over her right shoulder and imaging showing inflammation and abscess formation with the soft tissue. The case was managed with antibiotic therapy and ultrasound drainage of the abscess. Although this case is a rare occurrence, the likely etiology was secondary to peripheral nerve catheter placement for anesthesia, as well as her probable immunocompromised state with underlying uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Surgical intervention was avoided because of the high probability of intraoperative complications due to the abscess’s location and thus management opted for less invasive measures. Therefore, brachial plexitis with abscess formation is a complication of plexus nerve block, can present without any neurological deficit and is best managed conservatively without surgery.