If you’ve lost movement or feeling in your arm or hand after an injury, it could be because of nerve damage. Nerve transfer surgery may help. It works by rerouting healthy nerves to muscles that are no longer working.
At Banner Health, our hand and nerve specialists use advanced surgical techniques to help you get back movement, strength and independence.
Nerve transfer surgery is a procedure that uses part of a healthy nerve to help restore function to a damaged nerve. It can help improve movement or feeling in affected muscles, including those that control your elbow, hand or fingers.
In nerve transfer surgery, surgeons find a nearby nerve with a branch that can be redirected without causing part of your body to lose significant movement or feeling. That branch is rerouted to take over for a nerve that isn’t working properly.
Over time, the nerve grows and reconnects with your muscle. With hand therapy, physical therapy or occupational therapy, your brain learns to use the new nerve pathway.
Nerve transfer surgery may be an option if you have:
Nerve injury symptoms can include:
You should see a specialist for:
It’s important to get checked early. Surgeons usually want to perform nerve transfer within three to six months after an injury. That’s when you have the best chance of restoring nerve function. Nerve transfer surgery may not be successful if it’s been 12 to 18 months since the injury.
To diagnose nerve damage, your provider may:
Nerve transfer surgery may not be the only option for treating your symptoms. Your care team will consider whether a nerve transfer procedure, nerve repair, nerve graft, tendon transfer or a combination gives you the best chance of meeting your goals.
Nerve transfer uses a different, healthy nerve, while nerve repair reconnects the same nerve. Nerve repair may be an option when a nerve is cut cleanly and the cut ends can be reconnected.
Nerve transfer reroutes function from another nerve. Nerve grafting removes a damaged nerve and replaces it with a section of nerve from another part of your body.
Nerve transfer restores nerve signals to muscles, while tendon transfer moves tendons from another area to restore motion. After tendon transfer, you may need to keep your arm immobilized while the tendon heals. Tendon transfer may be an option if too much time has passed and nerve transfer isn’t likely to work well.
While you are under anesthesia, your surgeon finds the correct nerves and moves them to reroute the signals. The length of time the surgery takes depends on how complicated it is.
You might go home the same day or stay in the hospital for one or two days so your care team can monitor your healing and pain. Like any surgery, there are risks such as infection and bleeding. There is also a chance the donor nerve could be injured or might not recover as expected.
You may need to avoid moving your arm or hand for the first couple of weeks after surgery so you can heal. After that, you will need physical or occupational therapy to help you “retrain” your brain and learn to use the muscle and nerve.
You might notice tingling or pins-and-needles as the nerve fibers connect with your muscles and skin. Slowly, you should see your movement and strength return.
Nerve regeneration takes months and could take more than a year. You may not notice any progress for months as the nerve is regenerating. But you may still see improvements for up to two years after your surgery. Most of the time, the nerve works at nearly full strength when it is fully healed and rehabbed.
You’ll need regular follow-up with your care team to check on your progress.
Nerve transfer surgeries have a high success rate. Many people regain meaningful movement, function and sensation with time and rehab. Getting treatment early can help improve outcomes.
Success varies but many people get back useful movement or function, especially with early treatment.
Recovery can take several months to a year or more as nerves regrow.
Pain is usually manageable after surgery. Your care team will guide you through recovery.
Some nerve injuries heal on their own. For severe damage you may need surgical treatment.
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