Brachial plexus injury treatment with nerve transfer surgery

In many cases of brachial plexus injuries, nerve transfer surgery provides the best chance of restoring limb mobility and sensitivity. Sometimes a nearby healthy nerve, which performs a non-critical function, is sewn to the damaged nerve. But suppose the nerve is not enough for stitching. In that case, doctors use the nerves-donors. That helps to substitute the damaged nerve and make the limb work normally. The chest nerves, nerves in the arms, and many others in the forearm and hand can be transferred to treat brachial plexus injuries. In the first stage, anesthesia is administered to the patient. The operation s performed under a general one and takes several days of hospital stay. Then the neurosurgeon opens the connective tissue along the entire nerve length with a scalpel, finding bundles of nerve fibers and a scar between them. Slowly and carefully, the doctor extracts the damaged nerve from the surrounding tissues. Then he excises the desired area of the donor's nerve and transplants it into the damaged area. Next, grafts are sewn under a microscope with the help of the thinnest, hardly visible seams to the naked eye. Finally, stitches are applied. The restoration of nerve conduction is monitored by electromyography. The patient may notice a significant improvement a few months after the surgery. However, each patient's recovery process is strictly individual.