United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi. this forum is great!!!
I have a BPI that I recieved 27 years ago. I was in a coma for 33 days originally from the car crash but regained most things in the rehab hospital years ago.
I am interested in the possibility of regaining mobility in my right arm. Is it possible to still do repairs to muscles after many years? Has any window of oppurtunity already elapsed?
Has anyone visited the BPI center at the Mayo Clinic?

Glad that you have found us, sad but glad if ya know what i mean!

WHERE IS ELLEN!? She can tell you all about the Mayo clinic! Her son has been there afew times, I think! She has tons of info for you I am sure..... She probly will post it too! Best of luvck and welcome aboard!

COurt xx

Hey Rocket,

You wrote about the possibility of a muscle transfer & I can speak to that. My teenage son has had two muscle transfers (gracilis from inner thighs), and even with full avulsion of all 5 nerves, he can now bend his arm & make a fist. Even though it is limited movement, I’m convinced this has also enabled John’s pain to be greatly reduced.

The gracilis muscle/tendon seems to be commonly used, as it’s function is for gripping & only missed if the patient rides horses or something like that.

The transferred muscle/tendons (as well as bicep, tricep, deltoid) are powered by viable nerves including intercostals, phrenic, & crosslateral C7. For each of John’s surgeries, it took around six months for us to see muscle movement. The main purpose of the continuing daily physical therapy now is to build more strength, and it could well be a couple more years before we’ll know the full extent of John’s recovery.

The gracilis procedure is called a Doi (double Doi if both are used). Apparently it's fairly common in Asia, but not many doctors perform it yet in the US. One advantage of it is that since a new muscle is brought in, the time lag between original accident & surgery isn't such an imposing factor. But I don't know what the outside time constraints are. We (and others) are very high on the Mayo Clinic, since their team approach to bpi surgery gives them options not always available elsewhere. There are three doctors working together, specializing in neurosurgery, orthopedics & hand surgery. The bpi clinic’s excellent reputation is well earned. I’d encourage you to give them a call & at least ask about it.

Let me know if you have questions, via this forum or by direct email.

Take care & keep us posted,

Ellen

Wow, thanks for the GREAT info. My girlfriend called Mayo's BPI center and they are going to call back about scheduling me. The injury was 17 years ago. Pretty bad math on my part for an adjustor.

Cool! You had BETTER keep us posted. You might be our "poster boy" for the longest delay between injury & surgery! Say hey to Bishop, Shin, Spinner for us.

Take care,

Ellen