Hey, Carrie's lat transfer went well and we're in the middle of p/t re-eduating her muscles to work properly. We've been using a bio-feedback unit to show her when she is activating her bicep, but she is having trouble contracting her bicep. She's primarily doing isometric contractions to keep the muscle alive. I figure it may be too early to expect any movement since her surgery was on Aug 16 and she just got out of the brace a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to ask some of the people who had a lat transfer what to expect and if there were any special tactics they used to re-educate their bicep to work properly. P/T is going well, but it's kinda new with them also. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as her future seems like it may be a little brighter.
Thanks, Dick
Lat-bicep muscle transfer
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cbe411
- Posts: 1393
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:27 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: MVA in 2001, nerve graph in 2002, Median Nerve Transfer in 2004 and an unsuccessful Gracillis Muscle Transfer in 2006. I am living life and loving it! Feel free to contact me :)
- Location: Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
- Contact:
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
Sorry Dick I cant help with this one but I do wish you guys the best of luck! Keep us posted on how she gets on with it!
COurt
COurt
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
C'mon everyone, there's got to be someone out there that has had this procedure done. Please help. We're continuing p/t, but Carrie's still unable to activate her new bicep. We've been using a Russian e-stim unit that does contract the muscle, but she's got to do it herself. There's got to be a way.
C-ya, Dick
C-ya, Dick
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jennyb
- Posts: 1183
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2001 5:24 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: January 1980 Yamaha RD200 vs 16 wheeler truck, result, 1 totally paralysed right arm. I was 21, now 54. I had no surgery, I don't regret this. Decided to totally ignore limitations (easily done aged 21) adapted very quickly to one handed life, got married, had 3 kids, worked- the effect of the injury on my life (once the pain stopped being constant) was minimal and now, aged 54, I very rarely even think of it, unless I bash it or it gets cold, then I wish I'd had it amputated :) Except for a steering knob on my car, I have no adaptations to help with life, mainly because I honestly don't think of myself as disabled and the only thing I can't do is peel potatoes, which is definitely a good thing.
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
Hi Dick
Doesn't your doctor recommend which exercises Carrie should be doing? What does s/he normally recommend? This is a case where the team who did the surgery should be helping you out.
Sorry I can't be of more help but I think the surgeon involved should be advising here. They surely don't just do the job then leave you to it this soon afterwards?
Exciting that the muscle's firing anyway, hope things progress more soon :0)
Doesn't your doctor recommend which exercises Carrie should be doing? What does s/he normally recommend? This is a case where the team who did the surgery should be helping you out.
Sorry I can't be of more help but I think the surgeon involved should be advising here. They surely don't just do the job then leave you to it this soon afterwards?
Exciting that the muscle's firing anyway, hope things progress more soon :0)
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
We have an appt with Carrie's surgeon next Wednesday and will get with him again on further suggestions on exercises/stretches/ etc. They should have their therapists available. I agree, they wouldn't just do the job and then let us find out ourselves how to reeducate her muscles. It hasn't been that long anyway. Talking with someone who had the muscle transfer would be helpful though.
Dick
Dick
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
Carrie's progressing with P/T. She's seeing a new therapist in Shiner and he has some good ideas on getting some response from her new bicep but it's taking alot of compensation from other muscles. I guess the people who have had the lat-bicep muscle transfer have quit reading or posting on this site. No replies from the UK site either.
Till next time, Dick
Till next time, Dick
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cbe411
- Posts: 1393
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:27 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: MVA in 2001, nerve graph in 2002, Median Nerve Transfer in 2004 and an unsuccessful Gracillis Muscle Transfer in 2006. I am living life and loving it! Feel free to contact me :)
- Location: Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
- Contact:
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
Dick, wish I Could be of assistance but I have not had that procedure, no muscle work yet! Keep us updated though!!
COurt
COurt
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
Maybe John had this done - I don't know what you mean by the "lat" part of the description. John did have muscle transfers, from his legs - the gracilis muscles were moved to give him elbow flexion & also hand grip. For each of those procedures, it took around six months to see results. I hadn't responded earlier because the name of the procedure is unfamiliar.
John also worked with biofeedback but it's tricky to isolate the brain signals. For awhile there, his brain was sending signals to two muscles. Oddly enough, the biofeedback unit was the one thing insurance wouldn't cover...
Ellen
John also worked with biofeedback but it's tricky to isolate the brain signals. For awhile there, his brain was sending signals to two muscles. Oddly enough, the biofeedback unit was the one thing insurance wouldn't cover...
Ellen
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cbe411
- Posts: 1393
- Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2003 8:27 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: MVA in 2001, nerve graph in 2002, Median Nerve Transfer in 2004 and an unsuccessful Gracillis Muscle Transfer in 2006. I am living life and loving it! Feel free to contact me :)
- Location: Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
- Contact:
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
Ellen I believe that Dick is refering to LATISIMIS transfer.... the large muscle that runs down your back, there are 2... some doctors are transfering that for biceps, I believe it is a bit newer procedure that gracilis, not positive though... hope that helps you too!
COurt
COurt
Re: Lat-bicep muscle transfer
Dick,
I can't find much info about this either...also, I'm not sure now if any of the UK group have had this procedure.
I was under the impression that they didn't use part of the LAT for use as a bicep unless C5 and C6 were still functional? I might have got this completely wrong tho.
I am at the moment sorting thru all the research stuff that I'ved saved on my 'puter ready for a re-format and re-load of WINXP (don't ask!) so if I come across the article I'll post a link here.
All the best to you and Carrie!
Lizzy B
I can't find much info about this either...also, I'm not sure now if any of the UK group have had this procedure.
I was under the impression that they didn't use part of the LAT for use as a bicep unless C5 and C6 were still functional? I might have got this completely wrong tho.
I am at the moment sorting thru all the research stuff that I'ved saved on my 'puter ready for a re-format and re-load of WINXP (don't ask!) so if I come across the article I'll post a link here.
All the best to you and Carrie!
Lizzy B