triceps to axillary nerve transfer

Video Description

Target nerve transfer is a common and accepted surgery for the restoration of motor functions in conditions of nerve palsies. Transfer of one of the branches of radial nerve supplying the triceps muscle( most commonly to the long and medial head of triceps) to the axillary nerve helps in restoration of deltoid muscle and thereby improving the shoulder function in cases of partial upper brachial plexus palsies. This is usually done as a component of triple nerve transfer done for upper partial brachial plexopathy.
Conventionally the long or medial head of triceps branch is transferred to the anterior division of axillary nerve(Somsak), but with a more proximal dissection the main trunk of the axillary nerve can supplied by the median branch of nerve to triceps( Susan Mackinnon technique). This helps is neurotization of teres minor muscle as well as the entire deltoid muscle.