When a person receives a limb donation, how do surgeons “wire up” the nerves so that the recipient can use the limb and feel sensation from it?
In: Biology
It slightly depends on the level (I.e. wrist/forearm etc).
Recently I reattached an amputated arm at mid-humerus level (about halfway through where the bicep is).
At this level there are a few named nerves that everyone has. The main three are the median, ulnar and radial nerves. So we find these and stitch them together using a microphone to try and line them up as well as we can. Then, as others have said, we hope the nerves grow down the sutured nerves.
If we’re lucky enough the nerves will grow across the join and down into the hand to give sensation and motor function
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