Treatment of Spastic Arm Paralysis with Transfer of Contralateral Seventh Cervical Nerve

Contrary to long-held belief, we now know that the brain is highly malleable after an ischemic or traumatic brain injury. Neurogenesis, angiogenesis, and synaptogenesis occur in humans at a rate that provides only partial functional recovery. In this randomized, controlled trial, 36 patients with unilateral arm paralysis for more than 5 years underwent rehabilitation either alone (18 patients) or after undergoing C7 nerve transfer plus rehabilitation (18 patients). The primary outcome was change from baseline to month 12 in total score on the Fugl–Meyer upper-extremity scale (scores range from 0 to 66, with higher scores representing better performance).

The increase in Fugl–Meyer score in the paralyzed arm was 17.7 in the surgery group vers…