United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi everybody,
I haven't been on here in awhile. I had the latissimus muscle transfer on Nov. 1, 2004 to restore my biceps function. I was just wondering how long it takes to get function in the bicep. I have been doing pt for about 10 weeks and have not seen a lot of results. I am able to flex my bicep with no gravity (while lying down). But, I am unable to it against gravity. Any input would be helpful. I am getting very frustrated and so is my therapist which worries me.

Thanks,
Heather

What has your doctor said about this? How long does it normally take in others the doctor has done before? I know it takes a long time to build up those first flickers, but I don't know how long.
Hoping you get some answers soon

Heather,

I don't have any experience with this myself, but I found a couple of papers that mention the recovery time frames for this operation. (I found many more abstracts but for some reason I can't access any of these papers online. Let me know if you want the references, you could go to a public library or medical school library to look at them or purchase them).

Kate

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... s=15639376

Case report of a Lat transfer for biceps function in an electrical burn patient. Recovery notes:

1 month Perceptible contraction
2 months Elbow flexion – gravity eliminated (Grade 2)
5 months Elbow flexion – against gravity (Grade 3)
9 months Elbow flexion – against resistance (Grade 4)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... ds=9145150

Case report of a very severe, traumatic arm/BP injury involving "circumferential degloving from midbrachium to midforearm, devascularization of the extremity with thrombosis of the brachial artery and disruption of all venous out-flow, anatomically intact but exposed median, ulnar, and radial nerves with intact gross sensation in the median and ulnar distribution, crush and avulsion of all primary elbow flexors, and open dislocation of the elbow."

No progress chart is given, but paper reports at 7 months patient can contract against gravity, and followup at 20 months showed ability to contract against resistance.