Lived experiences of nerve transfer

Caleb: Nerve Transfer Trifecta

Age: 35
Level of Injury: C5 ASIA A
Fun fact: Caleb enjoys scuba diving, whitewater kayaking and sitskiing!

Caleb had three nerve transfers on each arm for finger extension, finger flexion, and elbow extension 5 months after SCI. It has been 1 year and 3 months since his surgery.

Three months after the surgery, Caleb started to see flickers of movement. There was some loss in strength after the surgery, but at the time he was still weak from the accident that caused his SCI. Caleb can now grip a 5lb kettle bell, while his triceps is still at a flicker but continues to recover. Caleb plans to continue building his finger extension and grip strength to improve his chair skills and everyday living activities. He is hoping that with time, his triceps will have the strength to help with transfers. Overall, Caleb says, “I am very impressed with the whole team and happy with the results!”.

Ainsley: Nerve and Tendon Transfers

Age: 17
Level Of Injury: C5-C6 complete
Fun fact: Ainsley plans on doing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of British Columbia after graduating high school this year!

Ainsley had three nerve transfers on each arm for hand opening, hand closing, and elbow extension 6 months after SCI. She is now at 2 years post nerve transfer. Ainsley has also had a tendon transfer on the right side.

After the surgery, Ainsley could move around right away but had to be careful and was on strong pain medications because of the many incisions. Scar management was important to heal the incisions with minimal scarring and avoid complications. After 2-3 months of visualization exercises, Ainsley noticed the first flickers of movement. By 5-6 months she was using her left hand for tasks. Unfortunately, her right hand didn’t progress beyond a flicker, so Ainsley and her team decided to do a tendon transfer for that side. Ainsley found that the recovery for tendon transfer was more difficult because she was in a cast for 1.5 months and not allowed to move. Today, Ainsley can open both hands, pick things up with her left hand, and extend both arms against gravity. She continues to improve every day but recalls that even before the surgery, “I definitely knew that I had to put in the work to make it stronger.”

Dan: Nerve Transfer with a Chronic Injury

Age: 37
Level of Injury: C5-C6 ASIA B
Fun fact: Dan is a full-time student at Douglas College in Recreation Therapy! He enjoys cooking and has a dog.

Dan had nerve transfers on both arms for finger flexion and extension 5 years after his SCI. He’s coming up on 3 years post nerve transfer.

Recalling some of the effects right after the surgery, Dan described numbness, loss of strength, and two weeks of pain when raising his arm that “felt like I hit my funny bone but times 100”. Dan’s recovery from nerve transfer was tough and didn’t line up with the picture the surgeons and doctors painted. Because nerve transfers are done more on acute SCIs than chronic SCIs, he suspects the doctors were not aware of how much the surgery could affect the independence of someone living in the community without the supports that exist in in-patient rehabilitation. There needed to be more preparation to accommodate the losses in function he experienced. Considering his rehabilitation, he says, “…you’re on your own so I think it would be better if there was something more – like a program that you do for three months after the surgery”.

Three years after the surgery, the numbness and pain from right after surgery have improved, but the losses in strength have persisted. Dan says, “I still have difficulty doing some things that I used to do before the surgery, but not too much.” That said, he has gained the ability to open and extend his fingers and has enough grip to squeeze the hand brakes of the electric bike attachment on his wheelchair.