Hi, I got back from Mayo recently and the doctors said that I will need a tendon transfer in 6 months (because my tendons are still weak now). They are going to use the tendon from my wrist and move it to the fron to allow my fingers to move. They said I will have to reteach my brain.
I am clueless about this procedure so I ask that anyone who knows anything aout tendon transfer, please tell me. What was the surgery like? What functions did you get back? How long did it take for you to see results?
Thanks and have a nice day.
Tendon Transfer Question
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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
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Re: Tendon Transfer Question
Where are the Brits with this one??????
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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: Tendon Transfer Question
What? Who me?
The Brits that live in The UK are prolly all in bed asleep as it's around 3am, I'm awake in NZ but have no experience with tendon transfers....but all is not lost here's a good thread about this http://ubpn.org/messageboard/thread ... hread=9836
A couple of people here should be able to help, just click on their name to email them.
Cheers all
Jen NZ
The Brits that live in The UK are prolly all in bed asleep as it's around 3am, I'm awake in NZ but have no experience with tendon transfers....but all is not lost here's a good thread about this http://ubpn.org/messageboard/thread ... hread=9836
A couple of people here should be able to help, just click on their name to email them.
Cheers all
Jen NZ
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admin
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Re: Tendon Transfer Question
Thanks! The thread was veru good. I did get some answer from it but I tried emailing and couldn't because I think of old email address, maybe?
Re: Tendon Transfer Question
Yes, I just had a tendon transfer operaton back in December. I had flexion in the wrist and fingers only.
The switched my tendons around so that whenever I think "flex wrist" it actually extends my thumb and wrist. But I'm so used to it now that it just happens almost naturally. My fingers extend normally now.
The only minor drawback was that I can not flex my wrist anymore without having to curl up my fingers. Gravity helps my out there.
By the way, I'm not even sure if we had the same problem with our hands. Are you able to extend at all?
The switched my tendons around so that whenever I think "flex wrist" it actually extends my thumb and wrist. But I'm so used to it now that it just happens almost naturally. My fingers extend normally now.
The only minor drawback was that I can not flex my wrist anymore without having to curl up my fingers. Gravity helps my out there.
By the way, I'm not even sure if we had the same problem with our hands. Are you able to extend at all?
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admin
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Re: Tendon Transfer Question
Hi, I'm sorry I haven't posted, been out of town.
Wow, you sound like you are back to normal. That is great! Are you able to type with two hands?
To answer your question, I have no movement in my left hand. Dr. Spinner said I would get flexion when they do the tendon transfer. I don't know a lot yet because I'm still waiting for the tendon to bend my wrist to get stronger.
Thanks your your inputs.
Wow, you sound like you are back to normal. That is great! Are you able to type with two hands?
To answer your question, I have no movement in my left hand. Dr. Spinner said I would get flexion when they do the tendon transfer. I don't know a lot yet because I'm still waiting for the tendon to bend my wrist to get stronger.
Thanks your your inputs.
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Christopher
- Posts: 845
- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
- Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt - Location: Los Angeles, California USA
Re: Tendon Transfer Question
Hi Kim,
The good thing here is that you don't need to rush into having a tendon tranfer, which I'm sure Dr. Spinner probably told you already, so keep doing your research till you feel comfortable with it. He's my Dr. as well along with Dr. Bishop & Shin, if he's still there. Dr. Bishop did a tendon transfer for me last September and it's worked out great. I avulsed C5-7, so still have C8 & T1 although damaged allowed me to have flexion of all fingers, but my middle, ring, & pinky fingers would only open/extend half way. Making it very hard to actually grab anything. Dr. Bishop took one of my middle finger flexor tendons and slipped it from the bottom side of my wrist in between the two fore arm bones to the top side of my wrist and tied it to those three fingers' extensor tendons. Six months later it's all working great. Only down side is I can't flex my wrist when I make a fist and only a little when hand is open, but the trade off was well worth it. I can shake someones hand now, which means quite alot to me. You're with a great team of Drs. When you see them next time, please say hello for me. Best of luck and I hope everything works out well for you. Take care.
Cheers,
Christopher Janney
The good thing here is that you don't need to rush into having a tendon tranfer, which I'm sure Dr. Spinner probably told you already, so keep doing your research till you feel comfortable with it. He's my Dr. as well along with Dr. Bishop & Shin, if he's still there. Dr. Bishop did a tendon transfer for me last September and it's worked out great. I avulsed C5-7, so still have C8 & T1 although damaged allowed me to have flexion of all fingers, but my middle, ring, & pinky fingers would only open/extend half way. Making it very hard to actually grab anything. Dr. Bishop took one of my middle finger flexor tendons and slipped it from the bottom side of my wrist in between the two fore arm bones to the top side of my wrist and tied it to those three fingers' extensor tendons. Six months later it's all working great. Only down side is I can't flex my wrist when I make a fist and only a little when hand is open, but the trade off was well worth it. I can shake someones hand now, which means quite alot to me. You're with a great team of Drs. When you see them next time, please say hello for me. Best of luck and I hope everything works out well for you. Take care.
Cheers,
Christopher Janney
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admin
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Re: Tendon Transfer Question
Thank you Christopher. You made me feel a WHOLE lot better. I'm so glad that things worked out for you. I just hope it will be the same in my case.
One quick question, are you able to type normally?
Thanks!
One quick question, are you able to type normally?
Thanks!
Re: Tendon Transfer Question
Hi!
Sorry for being a little late in replying to your question. In 2003 my surgeon operated on my right hand(I'm OBPI). He cut a small piece of tendon from right above my wrist and transferred it to my four fingers. Now I can open my hand almost completely, and for some reason my fingertips can feel texture and stuff. It turned out really well. And I liked my surgeon so well I had him do the carpal tunnel surgery on my non bpi wrist.
Sorry for being a little late in replying to your question. In 2003 my surgeon operated on my right hand(I'm OBPI). He cut a small piece of tendon from right above my wrist and transferred it to my four fingers. Now I can open my hand almost completely, and for some reason my fingertips can feel texture and stuff. It turned out really well. And I liked my surgeon so well I had him do the carpal tunnel surgery on my non bpi wrist.
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admin
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Re: Tendon Transfer Question
hi Erica, thank you for your reply. Your outcome is amazing. I just have two questions for you. Before the surgery, were you able to move your fingers at all? And what happened that caused you to get carpal tunnel syndrome? Thanks.