United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I am looking to hear from anyone who has avulsions or had avulsions and had surgery on them and were they successful?. I have had enough tests to know about the avulsions, my surgeon say he wants to be sure with a spinal mylography. He then said if that shows avulsions, then he says my options are limited and I just don't believe that. He said I might lose my arm.

Brandon
Hi everyone hope everyone is good and hope to hear about avulsions my e-mail is Brandonhubbard_3@msn.com

Hi Brandon
There are quite a few people who post here and have multiple avulsions, some have had surgery and some have had some recovery. There is no reason for your doctor to say this, it tells me he maybe has very little experience with bpi, what he is saying is years out of date. There are no guarantees and not everyone gets success with surgery, but even with 5 avulsions specialist teams will attemp repair these days. The mylegraph will be more accurate than an EMG but most bpi doctors will do exploratory surgery if there is any suspicion of avulsions at all, because time is of the essence and exploratory surgery is the only really accurate way to find out what is going on in there. I don't know where you live but I think you need to see a doctor who specialises in tbpi as soon as possible.
Good luck
Jen NZ

I agree with Jenny. Get a 2nd opinion. My 16 month old son has ROBPI and had grafts done to repair his avulsions. The donor nerves were taken from his legs. He had the surgery done at 10 motnhs and is now only 6 months post op, so the amount of recovery is still unknown.

Hope the advice to get a 2nd opinion helps a tiny bit.

MArlyn

yes I tottally understand what you guys are saying about another opinion however I know he is ver experienced and is friends with th mayo and the hopkins groups. I think he is less aggresive, I will have to twist his arm a little. I just wan't to hear from as many people with avulsions and what was their out come. So thanks and talk to you soon
Brandon

Yes i have avulsions to c5 c6, I had surgery 6 months after accident was injuried June 6 2004 had surgery November 10 2004 my surgeon did the oberlin procedure. My post op report said it appears that no triceps, deltoids, or rotator cuffs. 1 month after surgery i began to get triceps and 3 three months my therapist started feeling rotator cuffs firing not 100% but firing and june 2005 they started feeling the head to the deltoids firing. I can now lift my arm up to 55 degrees when standing. So with hard work and the drive to want to get better anything can happen. My DR. is DR. Kimberly Harbaugh at Hershey PA. AWESOME DR. WITH A HEART THAT CARES. So good luck.


Wes

What exactly is the oberlin procedure?

Brandon I have C5&6 avulsed as well. I have had 2 ops and looking for a third and final one, I think. There is ALOT that can be done if you are interested. Jsute because your doc may be friends with other great docs, doesnt mean that he is as gbreat himself! If your insurance will permitt, in Michigan second opinions are LEGAL and they ahve to pay, get a second opinion! I jumped into my first op, looking back I wish i would have searched more and had a better first op! Might not have needed more.

At camp Dr. Elkwood talked aobut donor nerve transplants too! It was interesting! He has done some great work with BPI! Maybe check him out!

Keep your head up! Give me a shout on here and I iwll call you when you are interested!!!

COurt

Court...here's a piece on the Oberlin's procedure http://www.aans.org/education/journal/n ... -5-pp4.pdf but I thought you already had this in your first op to try and fire up the biceps? Sorry if I got that completely wrong.

As you might remember, there are several people in the UK group who have had this..I know you met at least one person who had a successful outcome with this procedure...

Lizzy B

I had 2 avulsions and 1 semi-avulsed nerve. After 5 surgeries (1 of them was unnecessary) I have a very useful arm. I can open doors, play videogames, use a mouse, sort of shake hands, type on a keybard (albeit with some modifications on which letter each finger types), and now hopefully drive. If you want more info I'd be happy to give it to you. btw, what functions do you have now?