Losing the ability to move your arm or hand can feel overwhelming, but nerve transfer surgery can offer a path forward. By rerouting healthy nerves to restore lost movement, this procedure helps you regain control and reclaim your life.
Fellowship-trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Lindsay E. Janes specializes in upper extremity reconstruction, using advanced techniques such as microsurgery nerve transfer.
She combines high-level precision with innovation and personalized care to help patients regain strength, control, and confidence in their daily lives in her Chicago, IL, practice.
How Does Nerve Transfer Work?
Nerve transfer surgery provides a method for restoring function to paralyzed muscles. It involves cutting a healthy, working nerve (often one that’s redundant or less critical) and reconnecting it to the nonfunctional nerve.
This allows the healthy nerve to take over the role of the damaged one and reestablish muscle control.
Dr. Janes performs this procedure using advanced microsurgical techniques, one of her areas of specialization. This expertise is crucial for reconnecting nerves that are only millimeters in diameter, promoting optimal healing and nerve regeneration.
This process enables new signals to reach a paralyzed muscle, allowing it to regain movement over time.
For patients with upper extremity challenges involving the hand, wrist, or arm, nerve transfer may offer life-changing results.
This is an example of a nerve transfer that is performed by borrowing nerve fibers from the shoulder to restore elbow extension in patients with spinal cord injuries.
Candidates For Nerve Transfer
Nerve transfer surgery may be a good option for patients who have reduced movement in their arms or hands due to:
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Peripheral nerve damage
- Spasticity
- Spinal cord injuries (when certain muscles remain functional above the level of injury)
- Nerve injuries that are too severe or too delayed to recover on their own
Nerve Transfer Timing
Timing is important for nerve transfer surgery. Once a muscle has been without nerve input for too long, it may not respond to surgical repair.
Ideally, it should occur within six to nine months of injury for the best chance at full muscle recovery.
However, in some cases, especially after spinal cord injuries, patients may still benefit from nerve transfer even after that window, depending on the extent of nerve damage and muscle condition.
What to Expect from Nerve Transfer Surgery
Dr. Janes creates a customized surgical plan tailored to your specific injury and functional goals. The process begins with a comprehensive evaluation that includes physical exams, nerve studies, and imaging to pinpoint which muscles have lost function and identify healthy donor nerves above the level of injury.
Dr. Janes works with you to explain surgery options and help you establish realistic expectations for the post-surgery period. Her compassion and professionalism make patients feel understood, which enables them to head into surgery feeling confident.
Most nerve transfers are outpatient procedures. Recovery involves rest, followed by occupational therapy to retrain the brain and muscles to function with the new nerve connections. Progress develops over several months, with full results typically achieved within one to two years.
Dr. Janes has extensive training in peripheral nerve and reconstructive surgery, including a competitive fellowship focused on hand and nerve conditions.
She’s committed to understanding what matters most to each patient, whether it’s getting back to work, caring for a child, or returning to a favorite activity. Her warm, collaborative approach empowers patients and supports them at every step.
Nerve Transfer vs. Tendon Transfer
In some cases, patients may benefit from tendon transfer in addition to or instead of nerve transfer. Tendon transfer uses functioning muscles to take over for paralyzed ones. Each approach has benefits and limitations.
Dr. Janes will help determine which method (or combination) is best for your condition and goals.
Schedule a Nerve Transfer Consultation in Chicago, IL
If you’ve experienced nerve damage that affects your hand or arm function, don’t wait to start taking your life back. Nerve transfer surgery may be your best opportunity for recovery. Call (312) 695-6022 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lindsay E. Janes in Chicago.