United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi

has anyone some experience that could help me decide what to ask my doc and whether to have surgery? (I know we are all different..)

I broke my collar bone and humerus in a RTA nearly 2 years ago. They diagnosed radial nerve palsy and said it would get better. It didn't. Earlier this year (18months post accident) they said it was brachial plexus injury. EMGs show that there has been no regrowth between October 02 and January 03 and they think any regrowth now is unlikely. The muscles on the top of my forearm are severly wasted despite extensive physio and exercise.

I have reasonable use of my arm and thankfully am now largely pain free (a BIG plus!!) having had the burning pain which many of you will be all too familiar with. I have no idependent movement of my wrist and only limited assisted movement. I can grip things (c shape) if they aren't too heavy or too fragile and have very minor movement of my fingers. I can't, though, play music or type or do craftwork or anything requiring either strength or fine motor control - I know that's a lot better than a lot of people and in many ways I am grateful for what recovery I have made.

My doc has suggested tendon tansfer but said that the op is only 70% likely to be successful and even then won't put me back to where I was post op. I am having dfficulty getting a picture of what benefits the surgery might bring over the risks - not least of which is I am self employed and although he has said recovery would be 3 months I have heard it can take much longer.

Any thoughts gratfully recieved.

Thanks

I posted message on other thread. But 1 thing I wanted to add is that perhaps u might want to look at wrist fusion, ie. blocking ur wrist in neutral position with a metal rod. The advantages are that it is relatively simple, and that if ur fingers are not very mobile, they should become more so after the wrist is fused (because it is completely steady).

Athos

also recovery takes a lot less time

This is for Helen C. I was in a car accident in 1992. My injuries were a dislocated shoulder, a broken bone in upper arm, and brachial plexus. About 16 months after my injury, I had tendon release surgery on my fingers. I'm not sure if that is what you are referring to, but I wanted you to know that the surgery was very worthwhile and helped my stiff fingers limber up. I sympathize with you and everyone who has sufferred from this injury because I know about all the pain and suffering. Best of luck to you. Connie