Nerve Transfer Surgery: Restoring Movement After Paralysis

Nerves transfer surgery is a procedure that helps people regain movement and feeling after serious nerve injuries. During this surgery, doctors take a healthy nerve that the body doesn't need and connect it to a damaged nerve that has stopped working. As John Hopkins explains “A nerve transfer is a procedure during which a surgeon takes a healthy, redundant, functioning nerve (donor nerve) and reroutes it to connect to a nonfunctioning, damaged nerve (recipient nerve)." This allows nerve fibers to grow through the damaged pathway and eventually restore function to paralyzed muscles. Without this surgery, muscles can quickly waste away and lose their ability to work. Getting the treatment quickly is very important.

This surgery works especially well for certain types of injuries. "Nerve transfer surgery is often used for paralysis associated with brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injuries as well as for people with pain following limb amputation” (Neill Li). The procedure is helpful when the damaged nerve is far away from the muscle it controls, or when a large section of nerve is missing or badly scarred. One major advantage is that doctors can perform the surgery close to the paralyzed muscle, meaning the nerves have less distance to travel as they grow. This leads to faster recovery compared to other repair methods. 

The recovery process requires patience, but results can be life-changing. Most patients need to keep the surgical area still for about two weeks after surgery, then work with physical and occupational therapists for many months. "by six months, you should see some pretty good function or improvement that continues for the rest of the year” (Li). Full recovery can take us to two years, but between 80% and 90% of patients with brachial plexus injuries experience significant improvements. While the journey is long, nurse transfer offers hope to people who have lost their movement due to nerve damage, giving them a chance to regain independence and reduce pain. 

by Malak Ibrahim at Incisionary

APA References

Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Nerve transfer. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/nerve-transfer

Duke Health. (n.d.). Nerve transfer surgery relieves pain, restores function lost to nerve damage. https://www.dukehealth.org/blog/nerve-transfer-surgery-relieves-pain-restores-function-lost-nerve-damage