title: Nerve transfers for the restoration of hand function after spinal cord injury.
abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a significant public health problem. Despite advances in understanding of the pathophysiological processes of acute and chronic SCI, corresponding advances in translational applications have lagged behind. Nerve transfers using an expendable nearby motor nerve to reinnervate a denervated nerve have resulted in more rapid and improved functional recovery than traditional nerve graft reconstructions following a peripheral nerve injury. The authors present a single case of restoration of some hand function following a complete cervical SCI utilizing nerve transfers.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Wilson Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000368:Aged; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000601:surgery; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000637:transplantation*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000601:surgery; D013933:Thumb / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000502:physiology