Surgery for the Quadriplegic Hand With Active, Strong Wrist Extension Preserved A Study of 97 Cases

The traumatic quadriplegic who has suffered a complete and irreversible lesion of the cervical spinal cord can move only with the help of a wheelchair and is entirely dependent on his upper limbs for activities of daily living, support and transport of his body. Therefore, reconstructive upper extremity surgery plays an important role in the overall program of rehabilitation and achieving maximal physical independence. The goal in planning reconstructive surgery should be restoration of the best possible hand function to obtain the maximum of autonomy. The lower the cervical spinal cord lesion, the better will be the results, as fewer muscles arc paralyzed and sensory loss is less profound. Our experience is based on a total of 97 cases of complete traumatic quadriplegia studied between 1949 and 1974 at the Rehabilitation Center and Rawson Hospital in Buenos Aires. Of the 97 cases, 76 received surgical reconstructive procedures to improve function of their hands.