recovery

Treatments, Rehabilitation, and Recovery
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fnt14
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:41 pm

recovery

Post by fnt14 »

I under went a nerve transplant back on 17 November. So far I notice a bit more movement and strength with my fingers, but nothing with my upper arm, lats, or pecs. Hs anybody under went nerve transplant surgry, and what were your results? After several months I still experience nerve pain. Is that normal?
EllenB
Posts: 604
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2003 1:22 pm

Re: recovery

Post by EllenB »

Hi,

What exactly was done with your surgery? Since nerves grow slowly - about an inch per month - the expectation of innervation is based on the length between the transplanted nerve(s) and the target muscle. It can take well over a year, depending on that answer. In the meantime, it's important to stick with therapy & also do electrical stimulation to keep the muscles going until the nerve can make contact.

It took my teenage son six months to begin getting movement back, and at that point the movement was very small. After a lot of therapy, he has much more movement & strength. The last two muscles targeted in surgery took closer to two years to innervate because the distance was so great.

His pain levels began to go down once he had good movement - and it took around two years for him to get completely off the pain meds - but some people don't get relief from pain after surgery. I hope you do.

Take care,

Ellen
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