The Journal of hand surgery
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To investigate the effect of intraperitoneal administration of an anti-p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) antibody on reducing neuropathic pain in a rat model of brachial plexus avulsion (BPA). ⋯ p75NTR may be a potential therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of neuropathic pain in BPA injury.
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We used an established mouse model of elbow flexion contracture after neonatal brachial plexus injury (NBPI) to test the hypothesis that preservation of afferent innervation protects against contractures and is associated with preservation of muscle spindles and ErbB signaling. ⋯ Pharmacologic modulation of ErbB signaling, which is being investigated as a therapy for congestive heart failure, may be able to recapitulate the protective effects of afferent innervation in spindle development and contracture prevention. Muscle spindle preservation may also have implications in proprioception and motor learning, both of which are impaired in NBPI.
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Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) offers the potential for improved prosthetic function by reclaiming the neural control information that is lost as a result of upper extremity amputation. In addition to the prosthetic control benefits, TMR is a potential treatment for postamputation neuroma pain. Here, we present our surgical technique for TMR nerve transfers in transhumeral and shoulder disarticulation patients.