Rewiring to Regain Function in Patients with Spastic Hemiplegia

Spastic hemiplegia results from several relatively common disorders, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and cerebral palsy. Frequently, upper-limb function is impaired. In this issue of the Journal, Zheng et al.1 report a new approach to the treatment of this condition: the use of a contralateral C7 nerve transfer from the nonparalyzed side to the paralyzed side in order to engage the unimpaired cerebral hemisphere. Nerve transfers have long been performed as treatment for lesions affecting the lower motor neurons, mostly involving the brachial plexus. Gu and colleagues at Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, in Shanghai have pioneered nerve transfers, particularly those . . .