Nerve Transfer Surgery to Restore Function in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury: Hand Function

This video shows the recovery of hand function after nerve transfer surgery in patients with cervical spinal cord injury, also known as tetraplegia. Nerve transfer surgery after spinal cord injury involves using noninjured donor nerves above the spinal cord injury segment to restore paralyzed distal function below the spinal cord injury segment. Two patients shown in this video were not able to open and close their hands. The nerve supplying the supinator muscle was used as the donor nerve and transferred to the posterior interosseous nerve, which controls muscles for hand opening. The nerve supplying the brachialis muscle was used as the donor nerve and transferred to the anterior interosseous nerve, which controls muscles for hand closing. After nerve transfer surgery, patients were able to open and close their hands independently. This function can replace lost independence in patients with tetraplegia. Click the Related Article link for full details.