My 6-month-old has Erb’s Palsy. Surgery has been recommended. If the surgery is successful, will my child have a completely normal extremity?

It is highly unlikely that surgical reconstruction of an obstetrical brachial plexus injury will allow a child to ultimately have an absolutely normal extremity, symmetrical with the uninjured side. In many cases, however, an initially successful repair of the nerves, coupled with appropriate secondary reconstructive procedures on the shoulder, results in an extremity that, while not perfect, has an extremely high level of function and active range of motion. At rest, the extremity appears to be completely normal with no significant limb length discrepancy.