Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Donor activation focused rehabilitation approach to hand closing nerve transfer surgery in individuals with cervical level spinal cord injury

Donor activation focused rehabilitation approach to hand closing nerve transfer surgery in... Study designCase Series.ObjectivesTo describe the donor activation focused rehabilitation approach (DAFRA) in the setting of the hand closing nerve transfers in cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) so that therapists may apply it to treatment of individuals undergoing this procedure.SettingUnited States of America—Academic Level 1 Trauma Center.MethodsWe reviewed the records of individuals with cervical SCI who underwent nerve transfer to restore hand closing and post-surgery DAFRA therapy at our institution. The three post-surgery phases of DAFRA included (1) early phase (0–12 months) education, limb preparation, and donor activation exercises, (2) middle phase (12–24 months) volitional recipient muscle activation and (3) late phase (18 + months) strengthening and incorporation of motion in activities of daily living.ResultsSubtle gains in hand closing were first observed at a mean of 8.4 months after hand closing nerve transfer surgery. Remarkable improvements including discontinuation of assistive devices, independence with feeding and urinary function, and measurable grip were observed. Function continued to improve slowly for one to two more years.ConclusionsA deliberate, slow-paced (monthly for >2 years post-surgery) and incremental therapy program—DAFRA—can be used to improve outcomes after nerve transfer to restore hand closing in cervical SCI.SponsorshipThis work was made possible by funding from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Spinal Cord Injury Research on the Translation Spectrum (SCIRTS) Grant: Nerve Transfers to Restore Hand Function in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury (PI: Ida Fox). http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Spinal Cord Series and Cases Springer Journals

Donor activation focused rehabilitation approach to hand closing nerve transfer surgery in individuals with cervical level spinal cord injury

Download PDF
9 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/springer-journals/donor-activation-focused-rehabilitation-approach-to-hand-closing-nerve-FrLYEjd0gm

References (44)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Spinal Cord Society 2022
eISSN
2058-6124
DOI
10.1038/s41394-022-00512-y
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Study designCase Series.ObjectivesTo describe the donor activation focused rehabilitation approach (DAFRA) in the setting of the hand closing nerve transfers in cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) so that therapists may apply it to treatment of individuals undergoing this procedure.SettingUnited States of America—Academic Level 1 Trauma Center.MethodsWe reviewed the records of individuals with cervical SCI who underwent nerve transfer to restore hand closing and post-surgery DAFRA therapy at our institution. The three post-surgery phases of DAFRA included (1) early phase (0–12 months) education, limb preparation, and donor activation exercises, (2) middle phase (12–24 months) volitional recipient muscle activation and (3) late phase (18 + months) strengthening and incorporation of motion in activities of daily living.ResultsSubtle gains in hand closing were first observed at a mean of 8.4 months after hand closing nerve transfer surgery. Remarkable improvements including discontinuation of assistive devices, independence with feeding and urinary function, and measurable grip were observed. Function continued to improve slowly for one to two more years.ConclusionsA deliberate, slow-paced (monthly for >2 years post-surgery) and incremental therapy program—DAFRA—can be used to improve outcomes after nerve transfer to restore hand closing in cervical SCI.SponsorshipThis work was made possible by funding from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Spinal Cord Injury Research on the Translation Spectrum (SCIRTS) Grant: Nerve Transfers to Restore Hand Function in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury (PI: Ida Fox).

Journal

Spinal Cord Series and Cases – Springer Journals

Published: Apr 29, 2022

There are no references for this article.