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Updated: Jul 8, 2025
Structured Motor Rehabilitation After Selective Nerve Transfers
Published on: August 15, 2019
Comparison of nerve versus tendon transfer for radial nerve palsy
Shengtao Wang1, Wei Zhou1, Qingsong Zhou1
1Department of Orthopedics, Pidu District People's Hospital, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 611730, PR China.
Objective:
This study aims to investigate the choice of intervention time and operation mode between nerve and tendon transfer for the treatment of radial nerve palsy (RNP).
Methods:
46 RNP patients underwent nerve transfer (n = 22) and tendon transfer (n = 24). The intraoperative blood loss, main incision length, operation duration, and length of hospital stay and follow-up period of patients in these two groups were recorded and compared. The range of motion (ROM) of the elbow, wrist, fingers, and thumb, the hand grip and pinch strength, the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores were measured and compared preoperatively and postoperatively between the two groups.
Results:
The ROM of thumb and the hand grip strength of patients in the nerve transfer group were greater than that in the tendon transfer (P < 0.05). Both of the two groups indicated significant improvements in the ROM of elbow, wrist, finger, thumb and the hand grip and pinch strength (P < 0.05) postoperatively. The DASH scores decreased significantly at 6 months (P < 0.05) and 12 months (P < 0.05) after surgery in both groups, while the postoperative SF-36 scores significantly increased (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative DASH and SF-36 scores between the two groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion:
In summary, both nerve and tendon transfer techniques are effective treatments for RNP. Nerve transfer is particularly advantageous for early RNP, while tendon transfer is suitable for patients with radial nerve injury more than one year.
