When unsafe conditions on property cause you to suffer a serious injury, you may need an operation to restore as much of your health as possible. This can be the case if your fall or other injury has damaged some of your nerves. Without surgery, prolonged pain and loss of motor function could result.
Though possibly daunting, an operation on your nerves might restore sensation and function. Nerve surgeries take different forms depending on the nature of the injury.
Direct nerve repair
This procedure reconnects the severed ends of a damaged nerve. The surgeon will trim away badly injured tissue and sew the healthy ends together using sutures or special medical glue. This delicate technique aims to realign nerve fibers precisely so they can regrow across the repair site. Direct nerve repair works best for sharp, clean cuts that leave the nerve ends close together.
Nerve grafting
If the gap between cut nerve ends is too large for direct repair, a nerve graft can span the distance. The surgeon takes a piece of expendable nerve tissue, often from elsewhere in your body or a donor, and implants it between the damaged nerve stumps. This provides a bridge for nerve fibers to regenerate across the injury site.
Nerve transfer
When direct repair is not optimal, nerve transfer may help. Here, the surgeon takes a redundant healthy nerve and connects it to the damaged, nonfunctioning nerve. As the rerouted nerve regenerates fibers, it can restore sensation and movement to the muscles and skin affected by the original injury.
After the surgery
Recovery takes patience, as nerves only regrow at about one inch per month. But with time and rehabilitation, nerve surgery aims to help you regain strength, coordination and confidence.
Learning about your treatment and recovery needs helps determine your likely future medical costs. In the event a property owner is responsible for your injuries, you should have these expenses in mind so you can get fair compensation from the liable party.