Peripheral Nerve Program

The Surgical Peripheral Nerve Program is a multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary program encompassing clinical, physiotherapy and electro-diagnostic services. Our program focuses on the diagnosis and non-operative and surgical treatment of a variety of peripheral nerve problems including complex peripheral nerve injuries, nerve tumours, brachial plexus surgery and advanced nerve repair, and nerve transfer techniques. Our goal is to minimize pain and to maximize function, providing a better quality of life for patients with these disabling disorders.

Highlights

The Multidisciplinary Peripheral Nerve Clinic (at South health Campus) is seeing more patients with spinal cord injuries, offering nerve transfer procedures to improve function. We are part of a funded multi-centre study to evaluate the benefits of extensive rehab after nerve transfers in this patient population.

Research

Research is an important aspect of the Peripheral Nerve Program. Dr. Midha runs an independent CIHR-funded basic science research laboratory, in association with the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, investigating various facets of peripheral nerve regeneration and repair. For more information on these research initiatives, visit www.hbi.ucalgary.ca.

Education

We support the educational initiatives of residents within the three clinical sections of DCNS, neuromuscular fellows, and residents and fellows in plastic surgery. We have a robust fellowship program. The following are recent peripheral nerve fellows within the program:

Dr. Harley Brito da Silva 2020-21

Dr. Daniel Umansky 2020-22

Dr Rajesh Krishna Pathiyil 2021-22

Members

Medical Neurologists, Physiatrists & Electrodiagnostics: Dr. Chris White, Dr. Stephen McNeil

Neurosurgeon: Dr. Rajiv Midha

Plastic Surgeons: Dr. Christiaan Schrag, Dr. Robertson Harrop, Dr. Brett Byers, Dr. Kate Elzinga

Physiotherapy: Margaret Hass

Intraoperative Electrophysiology Support: Jamie Johnston, Joy Boldt, Erin Mercer

Recent joint publications:

1. Ramji M, Alzahrani S, Cawthorn TR, Midha R, Elzinga K. Surgical management of anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome: case report, surgical technique and literature review. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2021 Mar 26;9(3):e3453. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000003453. eCollection 2021 Mar.
2. Brito da Silva H, Midha R. Distal end-to-side motor transfer to augment ulnar nerve entrapment surgery at elbow J Neurosurg. 2021 Sep 3:1-3. doi: 10.3171/2021.2.JNS21291. Online ahead of print
3. Dibble CF, Javeed S, Khalifeh JM, Midha R, Yang LJS, Juknis N, Wilson ZR. Optimizing nerve transfer surgery in tetraplegia: clinical decision making based on innervation patterns in spinal cord injury. J Neurosurg Spine 2021 Oct 22:1-11. doi: 10.3171/2021.6.SPINE21586. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34678778
4. Alzahrani S, Brito da Silva H, Chu TH, Tariq Z, Umansky D, Elliot D, Midha R. Successful retrograde regeneration using a sensory branch for motor nerve transfer. J Neurosurg. 2022 Jul 29:1-10. doi: 10.3171/2022.6.JNS22734. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35907191