United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi,
I have just read some posts regarding doctors reimplanting nerves to the spinal cord? I didn't know that this was medically possible. If it is true I can't believe it isn't be learnt and taught in the the USA and here in Aust. I had 2 of Australia's finest doctors do my nerve grafts, and in fact it was a world first op (I lost my R arm and shoulder in accident so 4 right arm nerves where grafted around the front of my neck into left BPI arm). I didn't get to those doctors till 3wks after accident but it was never mentioned that anything like that was possible and when I was able to get down to them 3ks post accidnet, I actually had to wait another week or so before they did the exploritory surgery because they like to wait at least 4 wks. ( then 1 wk later the big op - 17 hours)
The initially doctors I had suspected PBI straight away, (hornes syndrome ect) but didn't do any nerve conduction studies till almost 2wks after accident. I guess I was still in a very bad way early on and I may not have been well enough, but even once the nerve cond. study was done and they told me the results, the doctor told me there was nothing that could be done and I needed to go home and live with it.
I am so glad we got in contact with the doctors in Sydney, because they deal with these types of things every day.
I still can't really use my arm for anything, but I have got bicep back with helps with the subluxing.
If anyone has any info on nerve reattachment I would be very interested. Any results too. Do they get a big % of movement and feeling back?
Thanks and sorry this is so long.

Hi Gayle
One of the posters at the tbpi uk site had a couple of nerves reimplanted soon after her accident. It was done at the RNOH in London by Prof Birch where research into reimplantation has been ongoing for many years. She has had recovery from those nerves. She has posted in this thread about it, she posts as T2 I think, about halfway down the thread..... http://p072.ezboard.com/fadultswithbrac ... ID=3.topic

The team at Stanmore have since published excellent results from a case where all 5 of the nerves were avulsed and reimplanted 4 weeks later. The arm recovered motor function completely within 2 years, right down to intrinsic finger movement, that to me is truly amazing. The patient was a 9 yr old boy and this paper does put forward the view that these things have more chance of suceeding with younger people. It's in PDF but well worth a read

http://www.aans.org/education/journal/n ... 16-5-7.pdf

I know a team in Rome are part of this study too and that Prof Carlstedt has been working on this for years. No doctors in the US are currently doing this, I have no idea why not.

your hosed! Life would be great if you weren't; unfortunately your nerve has to hook-up to something, and that "something" can only live for so long with-out nerve supply, or so they say. The good news is; it doesn't make any difference, your arm is lost, and the rest of you still works. onepaw