Surgeons in Italy have potentially restored the use of a man’s hand that was left paralysed by a severe road accident.
The team at Turin City Hospital (CTO) transferred a portion of the man’s sciatic nerve, initially controlling his amputated foot, to his brachial plexus, Reuters reports.
Paolo Titolo, one of the surgeons involved, highlighted the significance of this pioneering nerve transfer operation, which is a world first.
Marcello Gaviglio, a 55-year-old healthcare worker, had suffered grave injuries, resulting in the amputation of half of his left leg following a motorbike accident.
His brachial plexus and leg sustained severe damage, rendering both his hands unusable.
During the operation in December, the redundant portion of the patient’s sciatic nerve, responsible for controlling his left foot, was redirected to the shoulder region, potentially reinstating mobility in one of his hands.
Marcello currently remains unable to move his hand, and the procedure’s effectiveness will be assessed over approximately five months of post-operative care.
While nerve transfer surgeries aren’t new, this innovative approach involving the redirection of a nerve from its foot-related function to hand-related nerve pathways represents a significant advancement.
The surgeon suggests it could showcase the brain's adaptability in controlling unexpected body parts, opening new frontiers in neuroscientific studies.
The primary goal is to restore some degree of grasping ability to the patient’s hand, which, in turn, could aid his other hand in performing tasks. This procedure was documented in the medical journal Injury, culminating four years of research.
Marcello didn’t dwell much on the pioneering nature of the surgery; rather, he viewed it as an opportunity to work with a skilled medical team towards regaining some movement in his hand.
‘I focused on having a team of excellent doctors and the chance to regain some motion in my hand,’ he told Reuters.
