Arm paralysed after hysterectomy op

[adam adam]

In 1998 my wife had a was diagnosed with cervical cancer and had a hystorectomy to remove the uterous plus all the lymph glands. It was a 5 hr op.

When she recovered she found that her one arm had become paralysed. The doctors told her that the arm must have been in a funny position and the nerve had got pinched and that it would return to normal in about 3 weeks. Well after about 6 months she had recovered about 80% and it was only certain movements that were affected. eg if she poured water from a jug there was a point in the rotation of her forearm where she could suddenly no longer support the weight.
She had gone for tests where the neurologist would insert needles into her arm and stimulate the nerve with small electric currents. This was actually to see if the nerve was functioning but had the side effect of accelerated healing of the nerve.

We are now 8 years down the road and her arm strength is deteriorating. She never did regain full strength in her arm. and there was one  muscle that she could never tense on the inside of her forearm when compared to her right arm. She estimated that she had about 85% strength back but it is weakening now. She is 44 years old and was very sporty. One of her cancer recovery goals was to run a 50 mile ultra marathon which she did 18 months after the op. She is clear of the cancer so from that side the op was totally successful.

what are your comments on the healing of this nerve damage and now the deterioration in the muscle condition. Is it related to the nerve damage or is it coincidence that it is the same arm?

[adam adam]

Thank you for this response.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

Congratulations on your wife's recovery

There are 2 types of injury to a nerve, one to the nerve covering (myelin) which takes up to a few weeks to recover, and one to the nerve fiber itself (axon) which may take up to 18 months to recover, and which may be permament if the nerve do not grow back togther or if there is no nerve connection left.

Recovery is maximum at 12-18 months, although sometimes other muscle scan compensate also. Sometimes if there is no improvement or reversal in a few weeks, surgery can be done to try and repair the nerve. Studies done int eh OR can determine if the nerve is viable or not.

Over time, the damage should not get worse, but we do lose motor units over time as we age. In people without nerve injury we do not notivce as we have plenty of motor units in reserve. Butin someone who has only a few motor units, there may be good strength for a while, but weakness down the road when some of the motor units naturally stop working. This is similar to the "Post-polio syndrome". there is no specific treatment however apart from keeping the remaining function acitive and healthy.

Good luck