Tetraplegia Hand Surgery
With more than 40 years of experience and over 1,000 reconstructive hand surgery procedures for people with tetraplegia, Sahlgrenska University Hospital has developed extensive expertise in the assessment and treatment of paralysis affecting the arms and hands following spinal cord injury.
As a patient undergoing tetraplegia hand surgery at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, you will be cared for by a multidisciplinary team at a modern specialist unit that combines inpatient and outpatient services with dedicated rehabilitation facilities. The ward is adapted to the needs of a patient with a high spinal cord injury and the staff have experience and training in the unique needs of a patient with tetraplegia.
A spinal cord injury at the cervical level resulting in tetraplegia can have a profound impact on daily life. Surgical reconstruction can help restore function in the arms and hands, increasing independence and improving quality of life. The procedures involve transferring functioning muscles, tendons and nerves to positions where they can provide greater functional benefit and improve movement in the arm or hand. Restored hand function, for example, may enable a person to eat, dress independently, write and propel a manual wheelchair. Patients with spasticity may be helped with surgery to achieve better hand and arm function depending on pre-existing function. Spasticity surgery is with a goal to achieve a better resting position of the hand through lengthening of tendons, muscle releases and in some cases cutting nerves driving spasticity to achieve a more balanced hand.
Many people with tetraplegia have residual functions that may be used to create new functions such as grip or elbow extension. Because every individual has different priorities and goals, a thorough assessment is carried out to determine how a person’s specific needs and expectations align with the possibilities offered by surgery and rehabilitation. Not all patients with tetraplegia will be suitable for all types of surgery.
Request health care
Submit a request for care and we will get back to you a soon as possible.
With more than 40 years of experience and over 1,000 reconstructive hand surgery procedures for people with tetraplegia, Sahlgrenska University Hospital has developed extensive expertise in the assessment and treatment of paralysis affecting the arms and hands following spinal cord injury.
As a patient undergoing tetraplegia hand surgery at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, you will be cared for by a multidisciplinary team at a modern specialist unit that combines inpatient and outpatient services with dedicated rehabilitation facilities. The ward is adapted to the needs of a patient with a high spinal cord injury and the staff have experience and training in the unique needs of a patient with tetraplegia.
A spinal cord injury at the cervical level resulting in tetraplegia can have a profound impact on daily life. Surgical reconstruction can help restore function in the arms and hands, increasing independence and improving quality of life. The procedures involve transferring functioning muscles, tendons and nerves to positions where they can provide greater functional benefit and improve movement in the arm or hand. Restored hand function, for example, may enable a person to eat, dress independently, write and propel a manual wheelchair. Patients with spasticity may be helped with surgery to achieve better hand and arm function depending on pre-existing function. Spasticity surgery is with a goal to achieve a better resting position of the hand through lengthening of tendons, muscle releases and in some cases cutting nerves driving spasticity to achieve a more balanced hand.
Many people with tetraplegia have residual functions that may be used to create new functions such as grip or elbow extension. Because every individual has different priorities and goals, a thorough assessment is carried out to determine how a person’s specific needs and expectations align with the possibilities offered by surgery and rehabilitation. Not all patients with tetraplegia will be suitable for all types of surgery.
Request health care
Submit a request for care and we will get back to you a soon as possible.