United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

When I had my surgery @ 6 years ago, my doctor grafted sensory nerves from my intercostals (ribs) into my bicep. I know this was an experimental procedure at the time and I was wondering if docs still do this. Personally I believe it has caused more pain and over-sensitivity in my arm which previously was not present. Please let me know if you had this done to you or not and what you think about the outcome.

THANX
SUSAN

Sensory nerves? Are you sure? I had an intercostal nerve transfer in 1986, and that was to give me some bicep control, so I can lift my arm now. Seemed to help with the pain a bit, too.

I was thinking the exact same thing, had my surgery in Sept of 1986, same results. Don't remember any difference with Pain. What Dr did you go to back in 86? I went to Dr Alan Hudson in Toronto and then did my follow up with Dr. Lambert in San Diego.

Dan

My nerve quack ) was Dr Rolf Birch - I was in the UK then.

I had my surgery in 2003 by Belzberg at Johns Hopkins. He grated T4-6 intercostal nerves into my left bicep (musculocutaneous nerve). Then he grafted T4 and T6 intercostal sensory nerves into my median nerve. The musculocutaneous nerve graft didn't work - thus I can't flex my bicep. The median nerve graft did take but took years to grow to the palm of my hand and into my thumb (thenar emmense). Immediately after my surgery, Dr. Belzberg came into my room to check if I had any feeling in my hand due to the sensory nerve graft. This is how I know it was experimental. Today, if I put an ice cube to my left palm it feels like I'm applying it to the left side of my breast. So again I ask, is this a common graft now or was I just an unfortunate guinea pig? My pain has not decreased over the years but has increased in other ways which I tend to think is due to the sensory nerve graft.

THANX
SUSAN

Susan,

Didn't want to highjack your thread asking about Dr's, sorry.

I will comment on the sensory nerve issue. When you describe the median sensory nerve and putting something cold in your hand, your breast gets cold. My Dr did the median nerve graft 23 years ago, but he used the sensory nerves from the side of my face. So my face gets cold when something cold in my hand. I also know when my hand is being rubbed or brushed as my face will tingle. It also lets me know when I have just burned my hand, it does not transmit that sensation quick enough, all I get is a sharp burning pain in my face, but by then the damage is done.

I don't think there should be much difference in what they did with your sensory nerves as they did with mine, other than the loss of feeling on the side of your breast is better than loosing feeling on the side of your face, but that is just a guess.

My pain levels fluctuate and always have, so I don't think for me there is much correlation from the sensory nerve graft, just the normal fluctuations in pain I have experienced over the years.

My thoughts,
Dan