Article

After cervical spinal cord injury, the loss of upper limb function is common.
This affects an individual's ability to perform activities of daily living and
participate in previous life roles. There are surgical procedures that can
restore some of the upper limb function lost after cervical spinal cord injury.
Tendon transfer surgery has been performed in the tetraplegic population since
the early 1970s. The goals of surgery are to provide a person with tetraplegia
with active elbow extension, wrist extension (if absent), and sufficient pinch
and/or grip strength to perform activities of daily living without the need for
adaptive equipment or orthoses. These procedures are suitable for a specific
group, usually with spinal cord impairment of C4-8, with explicit components of
motor and sensory loss. Comprehensive team assessments of current functioning,
environment, and personal circumstances are important to ensure success of any
procedure. Rehabilitation after tendon transfer surgery involves immobilization
for tendon healing followed by specific, targeted therapy based on motor learning
and goal-orientated training. Outcomes of tendon transfer surgery are not limited
to the improvements in an individual's strength, function, and performance of
activities but have much greater life affects, especially with regard to
well-being, employment, and participation. This article will provide an overview
of the aims of surgery, preoperative assessment, common procedures, postoperative
rehabilitation strategies, and outcomes based on clinical experience and
international published literature.
CI - Copyright (c) 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS