Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2025
The Muscle Cuff Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface for the Amplification of Intact Peripheral Nerve Signals
Published on: January 13, 2022
Preoperative Muscle Biopsy to Assess Motor End Plate Integrity as a Predictor for Successful Nerve Transfer: A Case
Vivian Y Chen1, Luigi P Gonzales1, Tyler R Johnston1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine, California.
Case:
A 60-year-old right-hand-dominant man was referred for persistent right deltoid weakness, lateral shoulder numbness, and severe functional deficit 3 months after undergoing proximal humerus open reduction and internal fixation with plate and fibular strut allograft. Deltoid muscle biopsy demonstrated motor end plate (MEP) degeneration. After partial radial-to-axillary nerve transfer, repeat deltoid muscle biopsy revealed successful regeneration of MEPs with reinnervation of deltoid confirmed with postnerve transfer electromyography.
Conclusion:
Selective nerve transfer can successfully rescue a denervated target muscle from further degeneration by restoration of healthy MEPs.
