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What Is A Way To Promote Peripheral Nerve Regeneration?
Question: I want to ask a query on what is a way to promote peripheral nerve regeneration? I have had an ulnar nerve injury and as a result I had a transposition of the ulnar nerve and an anterior interosseous nerve transfer end to side. What can be done to promote nerve regeneration as I must now wait for the signal to reach my hand? and it is awfully frustrating. I have been doing lazer therapy and take all B group vitamins with vitamin E aswell. Is there anything more that can be done?
Brief Answer:
Mainly physical therapy.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The regeneration of a damaged nerve takes time (it is known that the nerve regenerates 1 mm in 24 hours).
The main aims of the treatment after surgical treatment of an injured nerve is to protect any damage in the first days and preservation of the muscles strength and joint motions.
Physical therapy is started in the early stages after nerve injury to maintain range of motion of the fingers and hand, and to maintain muscle strength in the unaffected muscles of the hand.
Galvanic stimulation also is used in some cases, but there is no sufficient evidence about its benefits.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.
Mainly physical therapy.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The regeneration of a damaged nerve takes time (it is known that the nerve regenerates 1 mm in 24 hours).
The main aims of the treatment after surgical treatment of an injured nerve is to protect any damage in the first days and preservation of the muscles strength and joint motions.
Physical therapy is started in the early stages after nerve injury to maintain range of motion of the fingers and hand, and to maintain muscle strength in the unaffected muscles of the hand.
Galvanic stimulation also is used in some cases, but there is no sufficient evidence about its benefits.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Sadly I already have deinnevervated muscles in the hand that are consistent with Ulnar nerve damage and that is why I declined very quickly. So how am I able to do the excersises in the hand without the ulnar nerve signal? I only have Median and Radial working at this time. Is it possible to build the hand muscles again? I am now 9 weeks post opp and this all started in February 15 of this year so exactly 10 weeks to surgery. How long does a muscle have before it cannot be built again?
Brief Answer:
Up to one year may be needed.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
If there will be successful reinnervation of the majority of the muscles fibers, these muscles can be built up again in up to one year.
Physical therapy (passive deinnervated muscles movement or electric stimulation ) helps in maintaining these muscles in function.
Hope this helps.
Greetings.
Up to one year may be needed.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
If there will be successful reinnervation of the majority of the muscles fibers, these muscles can be built up again in up to one year.
Physical therapy (passive deinnervated muscles movement or electric stimulation ) helps in maintaining these muscles in function.
Hope this helps.
Greetings.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Hello Dr Basically that means I would have a year to buid them up from time of atrophy? My hand muscles wasted in 6 weeks so I should still have a chance to build them up as I am 10 weeks post surgery and I also had a nerve transfer done so a branch of the median nerve known as the AIN was transferred to the Ulnar nerve. How long normally is that to reach the hand? I have thought of getting a peripheral nerve stimulator put in my arm. Traditionally it's used for pain but some studies have shown it helps regeneration of peripheral nerves. What is your insight to this?
Brief Answer:
Good results are seen with repairs up to 3 months.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The nerve after successful surgical repair advances approximately 1 mm every 24 hours, so, as you can measure yourself, it takes time to reach the muscle fibers.
There are good chances of recovery after successful nerve repair when surgery is done ASAP, but within 3 months from the damage.
Electric stimulating helps more with conservation of the damaged muscles function.
Hope this helps.
In good health.
Good results are seen with repairs up to 3 months.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
The nerve after successful surgical repair advances approximately 1 mm every 24 hours, so, as you can measure yourself, it takes time to reach the muscle fibers.
There are good chances of recovery after successful nerve repair when surgery is done ASAP, but within 3 months from the damage.
Electric stimulating helps more with conservation of the damaged muscles function.
Hope this helps.
In good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Yes Dr so the AIN transfer is approximately 3months to work if done correctly? The nerve is to advance to the hand from the AIN branch to the Ulnar nerve so that is basically a few months? The surgey was done ten weeks after the onset of the injury as I was symptomatic from one day to the next. Would lazer therapy have any benefit? Electric stimulation I am seeing a pain specialist to discuss this operation if it will be beneficial. I have heard about tractography scans but are only experimental. Will that show nerve function?
Brief Answer:
few months may be necessary to understand the results of nerve repair.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I mean, surgery for nerve repair could result in good outcome if it is done ASAP, but good results are seen if the surgery was performed within 3 months from surgery.
Beyond 3 months the results are poor.
Teen weeks is a little bit longer, but still, there is hope since the time limit of three months was not passed.
Basically, that distance needs few months for the nerve to advance to the hand muscles.
You can measure it in millimeters in order to have an approximation of the needed time.
Diffusion tensor tractography may be useful in following up the nerve regeneration, still, clinical follow-up and nerve conduction study are simpler methods to follow up.
Hope this helps.
Greetings.
few months may be necessary to understand the results of nerve repair.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
I mean, surgery for nerve repair could result in good outcome if it is done ASAP, but good results are seen if the surgery was performed within 3 months from surgery.
Beyond 3 months the results are poor.
Teen weeks is a little bit longer, but still, there is hope since the time limit of three months was not passed.
Basically, that distance needs few months for the nerve to advance to the hand muscles.
You can measure it in millimeters in order to have an approximation of the needed time.
Diffusion tensor tractography may be useful in following up the nerve regeneration, still, clinical follow-up and nerve conduction study are simpler methods to follow up.
Hope this helps.
Greetings.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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