Nerve Transfers for Improved Hand Function Following Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is the result of damage to the spinal cord either due to trauma (90% of cases) or disease(eg. Cancer). This is typically a devastating injury, leaving many patients with permanent disability. Despiteadvances in acute patient management, patients with SCI are two to five times more likely to die prematurely thanthose without SCI. More than 50% of the 11-12,000 new SCIs that occur in the United States each year involve thecervical spine resulting in diminished or complete loss of arm and/or hand function. Cervical SCI patientsconsistently rank hand function as the most desired function above bowel and bladder function, sexual function,standing, and pain control. The overall goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of nerve transfers totreat patients with cervical SCIs. Over the last decade, nerve transfers have been used with increasing frequencyto treat peripheral nerve and/or brachial plexus injuries. Nerve transfers involve the transfer of nerve function thatis less critical and/or redundant to a more critical area of motor function. Recently, these same principles used totreat peripheral nerve injuries have been applied to patients with SCIs, with promising early results. Usinguninjured nerve above the level in the spine where the injury occurred, nerve transfers can provide improved upperextremity and hand function to veterans and patients living with cervical SCIs. Since nerves below the injuredsegment of spine are still in continuity with the distal muscle targets (i.e. hand ), they remain receptive toreinnervation even years after SCI.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1116531
Entities
People
- Wilson Z. Ray
Organizations
- Washington University in St. Louis