Nerve Surgery
Nerve Surgery at Wiener Privatklinik
The MILLESI CENTER at Wiener Privatklinik offers a complete and complex concept in the treatment of peripheral nerve lesions, pain syndromes and nerve reconstructions, including nerve transplants.
Many years before his death in 2017, Prof. Millesi transferred the entire operative business to Univ.-Prof. Dr. Robert Schmidhammer, head of the Millesi Center for Nerve Surgery, Hand Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery at the Wiener Privatklinik.
Prof. Millesi and he co-founded the Millesi Center in 2004, attended international congresses together, and organized an international nerve congress every two years in Vienna.
Development of the Millesi Center
Surgery numbers doubled between 2013 and 2017, and the demand has been huge ever since. General hand surgery is as much a priority as function-enhancing surgeries, with another focus on birth-related nerve injuries. In many cases, these children require nerve reconstruction first, followed by functional muscle-tendon transfers.
Further, intensive clinical research is also conducted at the Millesi Center.
This research provides for the development of innovative surgical procedures and for a continuous development of the methodology.
The Milesi Center has developed numerous new surgical procedures on the peripheral nerve sector for complex paralysis of the arm. For example, a procedure that uses the respiratory nerve to activate elbow flexion, without the loss of the respiratory nerve. The result: one nerve and two functions. The highly complex surgical procedure works by connecting the nerve graft end-to-side to the respiratory nerve, the phrenic nerve, and then end-to-end to the elbow flexion nerve.
One nerve performing two different functions at the same time: Simply stunning and incredible! This is because the brain areas for elbow flexion and diaphragmatic movement are naturally located in completely different areas.
This is possible because special brain areas, such as the hand region in paralysis in the periphery, have the ability to assume dominance over other brain regions. Thus, one nerve can perform two different functions.
Visible one or one and a half years after surgery are only respiratory synchronous EMG signals in the biceps; however, there is no respiratory synchronous movement. These discharges are also not detectable thereafter.
Wiener Privatklinik: Pioneer in the field of Peripheral Nerve Surgery
For several years now, such nerve transfers have been done on a large scale. The removal of redundant fascicles from local functioning nerves in the periphery, that is, the removal of nerve parts that perform functions that are also performed by other parts of the nerve. For example, in the ulnar nerve there are several fascicles, responsible for wrist flexion, which allows redirection in such a way that it takes over the function of another nerve.
For several years now, this method can also be applied to patients with spinal cord injuries. Here, the hand and elbow are paralyzed, but shoulder muscles are still innervated. This makes it possible to shift to nerve fibers and generate additional ones, such as elbow extension, which allows patients in wheelchairs, for example, to open doors independently.
This is an insane advance and through such nerve surgery and the combination with muscle-tendon transfers, functionality can be improved not only for injuries, but also for spasticity or deformities of the hand or upper extremity, respectively.
The focus is not on academic achievements, it is solely on what has the greatest possible benefit and positive influence for the patient. This was the credo of Prof. Millesi and is continued by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Robert Schmidhammer in the same form!
The Millesi Center for Peripheral Nerve Surgery, Brachial Plexus Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery and Hand Surgery
At the MILLESI CENTER, patients are cared for from diagnosis through surgical treatment by an interdisciplinary team of the best specialists in Austria. Constant research enables the MILLESI CENTER to offer its patients treatment methods at the cutting edge of international scientific knowledge.
When is it best to consult the specialists of the MILLESI CENTER? The best time is immediately after an accident, or after the onset of symptoms! The longer the treatment is delayed, the lower the chances of successful treatment.
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