When nerve turns to bone: a case report of neuritis ossificans in a total brachial plexus injury

Introduction and importance: Neuritis ossificans is a form of heterotopic ossification in which extra-skeletal bone formation occurs in nerves. Neuritis ossificans of the brachial plexus is a rare disorder, with only two cases reported in the literature to date. Case presentation: We report a case of neuritis ossificans of the brachial plexus in a 17-year-old patient presenting with flaccid paralysis and numbness of her left arm that occurred after an initial trauma. Clinical discussion: We performed surgical excision and nerve transfer of the brachial plexus. The tissue appeared as a bony envelope encasing the nerve. Histopathological examination confirmed it as a cartilaginous tissue. The patient’s symptoms gradually improved during follow-up. Conclusion: Neuritis ossificans of the brachial plexus is a rare disease. Surgical excision of the calcification and nerve transfer yielded a satisfactory outcome.