Saturday night brachial plexus palsy

An unusual case of brachial plexopathy following an alcohol binge is presented. The patient developed numbness and weakness of his right hand and neurophysiological tests demonstrated that the lesion level was at the brachial plexus. MRI of the brachial plexus, cerebrospinal fluid examination and DNA analysis for hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies were normal. Repeated neurological examination and neurophysiological studies 60 days later were normal. A diagnosis of brachial plexus neuropathy consequent to non-traumatic stretching of the middle and the lower trunks was made.