United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi guys, have a new question. You might think it a bit weird, but am curious as to how long after nerve transplant surgery (or other surgery) did you first get some sign of movement in BPI arm. I know everyone is different and different degrees of BPI injury but am curious to know the variances. I also am curious as to how did you know that you wanted to move your arm. I sometimes concentrate hard on moving my fingers or arm and get weird sensations like the brain is sending a message, but as you are aware the message doesn't get through. I know that nerves take a long time to grow and I am only a short time since surgery but find would find it quite interesting to get some feedback.....take care all regards Michael.

hi michael.

not sure if this will help, as i haven't had surgery, but it took approx. 6 months for me to wiggle my fingers after the initial trauma that caused my bpi (surgery). it's taken about 18 months to move/wiggle my thumb. however, as you said, everyone is different.

i sometimes think tbpi happens to those of us who need to learn to be more patient lol!

hugs,

jan

Hi Michael. James has had his injury almost a year now, and is almost 7 months post op. We are not seeing any movement yet with his arm or hand. He is doing ROM and e-stim. Hopefully we will see something soon. Patience I guess, he sees the Dr. again in November, for an EMG and the specialist again in Novemner so maybe well know something then.

It took me about 10 or 12 months to even feel anything different in my arm after my first op! Now it is one year past my second op and I am finally starting to get new things! It really depends what nerves they moved to where and how bad they were damaged. Keep your head up and keep thinking positivly!!!

Court xx

My son had two transplant surgeries, and the first (barely noticable) twitches after each were ~6 months. The first time, we probably wouldn't have known there was any muscle reinnervation if John hadn't been in a swimming pool. The absense of gravity enabled him to bend his arm - and we all gathered round and basically freaked out. So you may want to try getting in a pool & see if you might be getting some movement after all.

The second surgery (primarily for hand grip and release) also was just barely a twitch at 6 months. We wouldn't have been aware of it if the OT didn't put John's hand on a paper towel, and we could then (more easily) see the paper towel move slightly.

Of course, with continued estim, biofeedback & daily therapy there has been a good bit of progress. But the main point I wanted to make to you was how tiny the first movement will be. I think several months may well have gone by before we would have been aware John could bend his arm - outside of the water.

Keep us posted. And keep up the estim & therapy - it's critical as I'm sure you know.

Ellen

After reading the other replies, I feel kind of lucky. For both of my surgeries, i noticed a difference between 2-3 months. And the first 2 months I wasn't allowed to try to move it oor anything. So within 1 month of starting physical therapy, i noticed a difference.

With mine, I felt an itching at first. This was about 8-9 months after an intercostal nerve graft. Can't really remember how I managed to move the muscle (bicep) in the beginning, or how the 'wires' were switched in my brain to get unfamiliar muscles doing an unfamiliar job, but they just did.

After about a year I could flex my bicep quite strongly and bend my elbow 45 degrees against gravity.

Don't forget, you need huge p a t i e n c e with this injury and any recovery! :0)

Lizzyb

Hi Michael,
It was 11months till I got the first little tiny flicker in my bicep muscle. I had very long nerve grafts (4 nerves grafted all between 18 and 19cm long)

Best of luck