United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Troy - I was considering the Mayo clinic but ended up going with Dr Michael Biggs, google him at Northshore Neurosurgery in Sydney. He has been a resident in a number of US hospitals and is a specialist in BPI. I had my surgery 5 weeks ago - 13hrs on table and walked out of hospital 3 days later, if you are in Sydney or can get here then it would be worth at least a visit.

Cheers John

hi john mate any chance of having a chat my mobile 0408870764 give me a text if you want to amnd ill ring ya when ever suits you best

No worries Troy

John

Troy,

My name is Janet Richter and I am a 17 year old girl living in the United States. I was in a snowboarding accident 9 weeks ago today (march 14). In short, I slid into a snow-drift fence at a very high speed. Although I am not sure on the details, I believe my board caught one of the slots in the fence first which cuased my body to spin around and my right shoulder to take most of the blow. As soon as I had landed, I knew something was not right as I could not feel my pinky or my ring finger on my right hand. Before this accident, I had never heard of a brachial plexus. While in the hospital, I learned I had broken my right collar bone along with 5 of my transverce processes on my T2-T6. Most of all, I had obrtained a tramatic brachial plexus injury on my dominant arm. Although I have received much of my movement back and have improved a lot, my tricep is still paralized and I still cannot feel my pinky (due to an injury to my ulner nerve which is the nerve you hit when you hit your "funny bone").

I just received an EMG yesterday which showed that the major nerves that I had stretched were not broken, but after 9 weeks have still not started to repair themselves. What the doctors are concerned about with me is a possible hematoma in my right armpit which may be pushing agianst the nerves and delaying their repair. The neurologist specialist at the hospital I am going to said that it may take 6 months to a year to gain motion back and anywhere up to 2 years to gain full recovery.

Before I read your post I thought I may have been the only one with something like this but the similarities in our stories shocked me. Know you're not along, and above all, keep the faith.

Good luck to you,
Janet Richter

I JUST REPLIED TO YOUR POST BEFORE READING THIS ONE WE ARE SIMULAR A LITTLE I HAVE REGAINED ALL MY SHOULDER STRENGTH AND MOVEMENT BACK BUT NOTHING BELOW THE SHOLDER NO BICEP OR TRICEP AND CANNOT BEND MY ARM OR MOVE MY HAND. IT JUST HANGS THERE. BUT STILL GO AND GET A SECOND OP JUST TO PUT YOUR MIND AT EASE BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY BECAUSE 9 WEEKS IS STILL VERY EARLY.

hi a lot has happened the last few weeks ive tried ringing a few imes but no luck. ive sort a second op from two specilist doctors in sydney and they want to operate now because ive had no return to bicep. the prob i have is that i like trust and respect the doc i have now and he wants to wait becase of the returns ive had to my shulder. although my arm feels like it is getting better and repairing im not sure if it is wishfull thinking. it is nowjust ove 5 months now and not sure what to do operate or wait and see

Hi Troy-
Like you, I had no nerve root avulsions (CT myelogram confirmed this). I saw two neurosurgeons (5 months post-injury). One suggestd exploratory surgery to determine the extent of the stretch damage. The other suggested having the nerve transfer surgery straight away. The second BPI specialist was concerned that I had no clinical recovery of my bicep at all. My decision was to have the surgery. I didn’t want to wait another 6 months only to find I was going to need it anyway. I'm now 10 weeks post-op, but still not seeing any real rescovery. ( Obviously, the choice is yours to make. Best of luck and keep us informed.

Frank

Hey guys. Similar situation here. I am wondering if any of you guys or gals are able to flex your bicep at all. I can flex mine, but it is very atrophied and I can't do much else with it. Funny thing is when my palm is face down I can do a curl. When my palm is face up I can barely do it, sometimes not all the way, just depends on how tired the arm is. The key is, it is better than before. It is just very slow in coming back. I don't know how far it will go, but I do know the pool therapy I am doing is HUGE! I highly recommend pool therapy. Just getting in there and doing curls with my hand wide open for resistance seems to be helping. Anyway, hope to get some feedback, good luck to you all. JJ

hi, I have the same problem. My accident happened 4 years ago. I had no surgery done. I have pain but I don't take medication because I am taking college courses inorder to get another job and I need all the brain power I can get.The surgeons have taken a wait and see attitude. After 4 years they are still saying that it could all come back. I try to believe that anything is possible. Good luck Hope things improve for you faster then mine.There is always hope and alot of your recovery depends on what you truly believe. Miricles do happen.

hey thought i would let you know that i had exploratory surgery from my surgeon and they found that the ulnar nerve was snapped in half behind the clavicle. so i had three nerve transfers to my bicep shoulder and elbow. dont want to be negative but muscles tend to die afer 2 years. nerves never strop trying to fire that is true but they need muscles to fire into. maybe sought a second opion or surggst exploratory surgery. you might be a canadate for a muscle transfer. if i would of waited there was no chance of return because off all the damage the three mri,s i had didnt pick up. let me know what you think