Can Tendon Transfer Surgery Help Accident Victims in Indiana and Illinois?
In serious accidents where the victim’s body suffers a severe impact there is a great risk for injury to the spinal cord which can result in paralysis. The spinal cord injury victim may suffer loss of the use of their arms, legs, or more. This can happen in any of a variety of accident scenarios, from car accidents and semi-truck crashes to slip and falls on a job site. For more, read: Spinal Cord Injuries: Tragic Result of Serious Accidents.
Care and Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries: Financial Responsibility
It is vital that claims asserted on the basis of these accidents include sufficient long-term planning to cover the medical costs and expenses for a lifetime of treatment and therapy needs. Those responsible for the accident and its consequences must bear the financial burden of the victim’s altered lifestyle and their physiological and psychological needs.
Defendants must be prepared to cover the costs of things like future surgeries which may not be planned at the time that the claim is made.
This brings us to messages of hope to the spinal cord victim regarding advancements in the treatment and care of spinal cord injuries. There is a promising advancement in the repair and even restoration of use for those suffering some types of paralysis.
Successful Tendon Transfer Surgery Restores Use of Hand and Arm
This week, Loyola University Medical Center announced its successful restoration of the use of both hands and arms for spinal cord injury victim Scott McConnell. This was the result of a series of surgeries involving tendon transfers by surgeons at Illinois’ respected Loyola University Health System in Maywood.
The restoration process was led by Loyola orthopaedic surgeon Michael Bednar, MD, who explains:
“These are the most satisfying patients with whom I get to work. To do the operation and have them activate a muscle for the first time since their injury, and see the look in their eyes and their face light up when they realize the function is back, is one of the most rewarding things I get to do as a surgeon.”
What is Tendon Transfer Surgery for Spinal Cord Injury Victims?
Tendon transfer surgery involves a series of medical procedures. Currently, researchers find that spinal cord injury victims suffering damage to their C5-C8 cervical nerves in their lower neck are most likely to be helped with restoration of use after tendon transfers.
In the procedure, muscles are removed from one part of the body and placed with the muscle that is no longer effective and paralyzed due to the trauma for the accident.
The replacement muscles then take on the work of the non-functioning muscle. These surgeries can be complicated, as several muscles may need to be removed and replaced. There is also the factor of locating functioning muscles to use in the transfer. The more tendon transfers that are performed, the more function is restored to the spinal cord injury victim.
According to Loyola, this takes time. They give the example of tendon transfers for a paralyzed arm. These are estimated to need two tendon transfer surgeries per arm. So, for a victim of paralysis in both arms (and hands) this means four surgeries. Each arm is the focus of a single surgery (they do not work on both arms in a single operation).
Moreover, these surgeries have to be staggered. Loyola’s time frame is one tendon transfer per three month intervals.
Chicago’s own Dr. Bednar is considered a national leader in tendon transfers. He explains:
“Performing tendon transfers on patients with cervical spinal cord injuries requires a team approach. The team works with the surgeon to determine who is an appropriate candidate for surgery. The team then helps the patient through the surgeries and rehabilitation, thereby ensuring maximum benefit from the procedures.”
Loyola Surgeon Says Tendon Transfers Are Not Being Offered Enough to Spinal Cord Injury Victims
This is a tremendous advancement for those who have suffered serious and permanent harm in a spinal cord injury. Consider the example given in Loyola’s July 2018 news release, where patient Scott McConnell went from “little function remaining in his hands and arms” to being able to open and close both hands; using both arms; and doing basic daily tasks we take for granted including:
- Brushing his teeth
- Using a cell phone
- Holding a cup.
However, tendon transfer surgeries need to be offered and provided to many more spinal cord injury victims than are being done right now. In 2016, Dr. Bednar was sharing this hope and opportunity for accident victims to reclaim their lives in a news release shared by Science Daily, urging more tendon transfers be considered and performed:
“Although the long-term outcomes of these procedures are good, few patients eligible for these procedures actually have them performed.”
According to Dr. Bednar there needs to be more discussion of this surgical advancement in the medical community, as well as an increased public awareness of tendon transfers.
Spinal Cord Injury Accident Victims Restoration Through Tendon Transfer Surgery
Given that one of the national leaders in tendon transfer surgery works in Chicago, it would seem likely that those accident victims suffering from paralysis due to spinal cord injuries in Indiana and Illinois have even greater opportunity for this life-altering procedure.
However, for justice to be performed for these accident victims, there may need to be legal claims made against those responsible for the accident in order to establish financial coverage for the series of medical procedures involved.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious spinal cord injury with resulting paralysis, then you need to be aware of the new opportunities offered by Loyola Medicine and Dr. Michael Bednar. It is a message of hope to both the victim and his or her loved ones.
Of course, not every victim is a viable candidate for this procedure at this time. Moreover, while arms and hands may have their function restored, legs and feet may remain paralyzed. Each situation must be given individual evaluation.
Nevertheless, tendon transfer surgeries are extraordinary; these procedures bring light into lives darkened by injuries sustained in accidents caused by someone who failed in their duty of care. Please be careful out there!
