United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hwee yong,
Thank you for your reply. 6 months, huh. I am a little late about 6 months, but like you said there have been cases were years have passed so I think I'll be fine. My surgery will be on Jan. 9 04 with my same enxperinced doctors. I wish I could pick and choose my doctors, but since my accident was due to misconduct (driving drunk)the Airforce wouldn't give me that choose. Worst mistake of my life, good lesson though!
Jon

Jon
How did your surgery go on 1/9/04????????

Mary

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Allison,
I live in nth qld and have had several surgery's in Sydney with Dr Biggs & Prof Tonkin an North Shore Hospital. The where wonderful. I have avulsed C5, 6, 7,8 & T1 leaving me with a totally flail left arm as well as having my right arm and shoulder torn off. (I got caught in the PTO of a tractor while digging fence post hole. (spun me around at 8 revolutions a second through a tiny gap between the macine and the ground.
I had WORLD FIRST SURGERY which connected all my right hand nerves (all cut off but still attached to the spine) The harvested nerves out of my legs and also the alnu nerve from my arm (as they where sure they would never get the hand functioning again)and conected them to the nerves in my left arm that where all avulsed. I had the surgery 6wks after the accident; a 9hr exploritory op then a week later a 17hr op the graft the nerves. 18 mths later I have got bicep back to where I can bend it to 90% and hold it for a while. I haven't got a lot of shoulder movement or any tricep but at least some muscle has developed back there so the shoulder doesn't want to suplux all the time. I have recently even got some wrist and slight finger movement which they never dreamed was possible.
I thing I can tell you is the nerve that was taken from my arm for grafting(ulna) was taken with it's own blood supply (veins)where as the other grafted nerves where just laid down on the muscle and ha to take up there own blood supply from the muscles. It as proven that the one with it's own supply has grown about 5 times faster than any of the others (othrs havn't done much yet).
THE WEIRD PART ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING IS THAN I HAVE TO IMAGINE I AM USING MY RIGHT ARM (WHICH ISN'T EVEN THERE) TO MAKE THE MOVEMENTS HAPPEN BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT HAND NERVES WORKING IT.

I live in nth qld and have had several surgery's in Sydney with Dr Biggs & Prof Tonkin an North Shore Hospital. The where wonderful. I have avulsed C5, 6, 7,8 & T1 leaving me with a totally flail left arm as well as having my right arm and shoulder torn off. (I got caught in the PTO of a tractor while digging fence post hole. (spun me around at 8 revolutions a second through a tiny gap between the macine and the ground.
I had WORLD FIRST SURGERY which connected all my right hand nerves (all cut off but still attached to the spine) The harvested nerves out of my legs and also the alnu nerve from my arm (as they where sure they would never get the hand functioning again)and conected them to the nerves in my left arm that where all avulsed. I had the surgery 6wks after the accident; a 9hr exploritory op then a week later a 17hr op the graft the nerves. 18 mths later I have got bicep back to where I can bend it to 90% and hold it for a while. I haven't got a lot of shoulder movement or any tricep but at least some muscle has developed back there so the shoulder doesn't want to suplux all the time. I have recently even got some wrist and slight finger movement which they never dreamed was possible.
I thing I can tell you is the nerve that was taken from my arm for grafting(ulna) was taken with it's own blood supply (veins)where as the other grafted nerves where just laid down on the muscle and ha to take up there own blood supply from the muscles. It as proven that the one with it's own supply has grown about 5 times faster than any of the others (othrs havn't done much yet).
THE WEIRD PART ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING IS THAN I HAVE TO IMAGINE I AM USING MY RIGHT ARM (WHICH ISN'T EVEN THERE) TO MAKE THE MOVEMENTS HAPPEN BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT HAND NERVES WORKING IT.

Hi Paul,
In August 2000 I had a bad motorcycle accident and one of the injuries was total loss of my right arm.
In october 2000 the Injuty was explored and it was found that there was a complete rupture of the upper and middle trunks of the plexus,but the proximal stumps of C5,6 and 7 appeared healthy. c8 and t1 appeared to be functioning on electrical stimulation.
Nerves were grafted from both of my lower legs.
grafts were inserted from C6 to the lateral head of the median nerve, from C6 to the musculocutaneous nerve and from C7 to the posterior cord. the spinal accessory nerve was transfered to the suprascaular nerve via a graft.

Was the op a success?

I can lightly grip with my fingers, but I have no use of my arm,but if I hold my hand I can pushdown from the wrist.
If I bend my elbow I can then straighten it but very week.
I have more strength in my shoulder than I had but I can only lift arm up at 45 degrees from my side.

So while the op was not a full success and I have vertually no use of my arm I beleive it is better than a totally dead arm,also I am lucky in that the pain I get is very minimal compared to some BP injuries you hear of.

I work as a security officer at an M.O.D site and very few people realise it is paralysed.

And Yes I still ride a motorcycle but don't tell the Doctors and nurses who put me together again!

Good Luck.

Terry UK.

Paul 585 could you call me or e-mail (512) 750-9389
sanchezracing73@yahoo.com Gabe

ok

Cool Terry ...................work at M.O.D. WHAT KINDA place is that? Paul

Hi my nane is Javier Lozada from Pennssylvania I have a tbpi injury which happens 3 months ago I'm thinking to go to Mayo Clinic but my insurance referall me to John Hopkins hospital in Baltimore to see Dr. Belzburg. My big question is If anyone ever had surgery with him and how succesful was? thanks for your answers
Javier