A 55-year-old Italian man was able to use a hand once again paralyzed by a nerve transplant in a foot thanks to a world-first operation performed at the CTO Hospital in Turin, northwestern Italy.
According to the Citta della Salute organization, which also includes Turin’s medical centers, a patient died after suffering a mid-left leg amputation and a complete injury to the brachial plexus of his left arm in a traffic accident.
The procedure, which doctors described as innovative, involved the transfer of part of the sciatic nerve from the amputated foot to the upper part of the body.
Now, they explain, “the patient will gradually learn to control the use of his hand: in the first phase he will think about the movements of his foot, but then he will develop the new skill thanks to the adaptability of the brain.” ”
The operation, which lasted twelve hours, involved microsurgeons Bruno Battiston and Paolo Title and neurosurgeons Francesca Vincitorio and Diego Garbossa. The rehabilitation period is carried out under the supervision of specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
“The procedure has its roots in four years of intensive research, culminating in publication in the prestigious international journal Injury and approval for its clinical use by the Città della Salute Ethics Committee,” she added.
In detail, the operation consists of: Transposition of a part of the sciatic nerve, the peroneal part, which normally controls dorsiflexion of the foot, but was not used due to the amputation of the leg.
“This targeted nerve transfer from the amputated leg to the paralyzed arm aimed to reinnervate the damaged brachial plexus, paving the way for functional reactivation,” he said in a statement.
Source: La Neta Neta
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
