Nerve transfer surgery reconnects healthy nerve branches to areas that have lost function, or to improve nerve pain from injured nerves (neuromas) helping your hand regain coordinated movement, strength and control.
You might consider this option when your recovery after a nerve injury has slowed or stalled, or pain from damaged nerves can’t be controlled with medication, as it can offer you a reliable pathway back to daily independence.
Procedure Time
1–2 hours.
Anaesthetic
Regional anaesthetic or WALANT.
Recovery
Guarded early movement for a few weeks after surgery; functional improvement from 3 – 6 months, with continued progress up to 18 months.
Full Results
18 months, depending on the rate of nerve regrowth and therapy.
By directing healthy nerve fibres into non-functioning muscles, this surgery helps return fine motor control, grip coordination and pinch strength.
Many patients notice better control during tasks like writing, buttoning clothing or using small tools.
Correcting imbalanced muscle activity can help the hand rest in a more natural, comfortable position and improve function.
The surgery works best when the muscles are still able to recover, allowing new nerve fibres to reach them before any lasting weakness develops.
We support you through surgery and beyond
Your consultation focuses on understanding your injury, hand function and goals. Your surgeon will examine your strength, sensation and the viability of the muscles the nerve transfer would power. We’ll carefully talk through what the surgery can restore, your expected timeline for recovery, and whether any complementary procedures (such as nerve decompression or tendon balancing) may support a better outcome. If a nerve transfer is not appropriate, you’ll be advised on alternatives.
You’ll receive clear written instructions on how to prepare properly for your procedure.
You’ll arrive at the hospital and meet the surgical and nursing team. The procedure is carried out through small forearm incisions under regional anaesthetic or WALANT, allowing a comfortable and calm experience. The healthy donor nerve branch is identified and connected to the non-functioning motor or sensory nerve using fine microsutures and fibrin glue. Once you’re comfortable, you can go home the same day with clear guidance for early movement and protection.
Nerve recovery takes time. New nerve fibres grow at around 1 mm per day, so noticeable changes often begin at 3 – 6 months, with improvement continuing for 12 – 18 months. Early hand motion is encouraged, but heavier activity is avoided for the first few weeks. Specialist hand therapy is a key part of recovery, helping your brain learn the new nerve pathway and retrain coordinated movement. Your progress will be monitored, and your rehabilitation adapted as strength returns.
At The Antler Clinic, your care is led by Mr David Izadi, an experienced Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Hand Surgeon with over 20 years of specialist experience in complex reconstructive, peripheral nerve, and hand surgery.
Mr Izadi is one of only a small number of surgeons in the UK who regularly performs nerve transfer surgery in both NHS and private practice. He specialises in advanced upper limb nerve reconstruction, using highly specialised microsurgical techniques to restore movement, sensation, and function following nerve injuries, brachial plexus injuries, paralysis, and chronic nerve-related pain. These procedures require an exceptional understanding of anatomy and nerve function, carefully transferring healthy donor nerves to restore lost function while preserving existing movement and sensation.
To develop this expertise, Mr Izadi completed prestigious hand surgery fellowships at two of the world’s leading hand surgery centres: The Pulvertaft Hand Centre, Derby, and Institut de la Main, Paris. He is a core member of the Warwickshire Hand Surgery Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) and is committed to delivering safe, evidence-based care through collaborative specialist decision-making.
Known for combining technical excellence with a calm, honest, and patient-centred approach, Mr Izadi takes time to understand what matters most to each patient. Every treatment plan is tailored to the individual’s needs and goals, with a focus on restoring function, reducing pain, and improving quality of life through the latest advances in reconstructive nerve surgery.
A quick guide to the things most people want to know before and after their procedure.
Most patients experience only mild discomfort after nerve transfer surgery when restoring function. Nerve transfer surgery for neuromas can be painful for a few days.. Regional anaesthetic or WALANT keeps you comfortable during the procedure. Mr Izadi will recommend specific medication to help with nerve pain after surgery, as well as routine over-the-counter pain medication during the first few weeks of recovery.
A nerve transfer operation typically lasts 1 – 2 hours, and you can usually go home the same day.
Success of nerve transfer surgery depends on timing, the health of the surrounding nerves, supple joints and the viability of the muscles. When performed for muscle functional loss within the optimal 6 – 12 month window post injury, most patients regain meaningful improvements in strength, dexterity and hand control. Nerve transfer for neuroma surgery can be done at any point, but usually after non operative measures have failed to control the pain.
A nerve graft bridges a gap in an injured nerve. A nerve transfer redirects a healthy nerve branch to restore function more quickly, often used when the original nerve is too damaged or recovery has stalled. Sometimes a combination of nerve grafting and nerve transfers can be of help.
Early movement may return within 3 months after a nerve transfer surgery, but muscle strength and fine control improve gradually as the transferred nerve fibres grow. Many patients begin to notice change at 3 – 6 months, with further progress over the following 18 months.
All surgery carries some risks. For an upper limb nerve transfer these include temporary numbness or weakness at the donor site, incomplete recovery of movement, neuroma (nerve sensitivity), scar tenderness or, rarely, failure of nerve regeneration. We’ll talk through all these risks with you in your consultation.
WALANT is an option for upper limb nerve transfer, but may make identifying donor nerves intra operatively challenging, therefore regional anaesthetic is often necessary. Both are safe and allow a calm, controlled environment.
While nerve damage itself does not spread, the muscles it supplies can weaken permanently if not reinnervated in time (within 18 months of injury). This is why early assessment is important.
clear and transparent costs
You will receive a clear quotation setting out the cost of your treatment and what is included before you decide whether to proceed.
A new consultation is charged at £200.
Follow-up consultations are charged at £150, unless the appointment forms part of an agreed surgical package or postoperative follow-up pathway.
Consultation fees are payable regardless of whether surgery is subsequently arranged. A consultation provides assessment, advice and discussion of treatment options; it does not guarantee that surgery will be recommended or offered.
Patients are kindly asked to provide at least three working days’ notice if they need to cancel or rearrange an appointment.
Non-attendance, or cancellation with less than three working days’ notice, will incur a fee of £125. This fee reflects the clinical time reserved for the appointment and the difficulty of offering the appointment to another patient at short notice.
For self-pay patients, surgery is usually provided as a fixed-price package. This is intended to give patients clarity and reassurance about the cost of their planned procedure.
Your written quotation will confirm what is included. In most cases, the package price includes:
Hospital fees for the planned procedure
Surgeon’s fee
Anaesthetist’s fee, where applicable
Standard postoperative follow-up appointments relating to the procedure
Routine aftercare directly related to the planned surgery, as specified in your quotation
Package prices are based on the procedure agreed at the time of booking. If the surgical plan changes, if additional procedures are requested, or if further treatment is required outside the agreed package, additional fees may apply.
Self-pay surgical packages usually include a period of cover for the treatment of complications directly related to the procedure. The exact terms, duration and exclusions of this cover are set by the hospital where your surgery is performed.
Depending on the hospital, complication cover may apply for a defined period, which may be 6 or 12 months. Full details will be provided by the relevant hospital before surgery.
Complication cover is not a guarantee that all future treatment, revision surgery or additional procedures will be provided without charge. Cover may not apply to unrelated medical problems, pre-existing conditions, treatment required outside the hospital’s terms, or surgery requested for aesthetic preference rather than a recognised complication.
In an emergency, patients should seek urgent medical attention through the most appropriate service, including NHS emergency care where necessary.
Every effort is made to achieve the best possible outcome, but no surgical procedure can guarantee a specific result, perfect symmetry, invisible scarring or complete satisfaction. Healing, scarring, swelling and final results vary between individuals.
If revision surgery is required because of a complication, eligibility for cover will depend on the hospital’s package terms and the clinical circumstances.
If surgery has been performed to an appropriate clinical standard, but a patient remains dissatisfied with the aesthetic outcome or wishes to pursue further refinement, any revision or additional surgery will usually incur further charges. These may include hospital fees, surgeon’s fees and anaesthetic fees.
Unless specifically included in your written quotation, additional costs may apply for investigations, scans, specialist opinions, extra procedures, further hospital admissions, prescriptions, dressings, garments, travel, accommodation, time off work or treatment unrelated to the planned surgery.
The written quotation and the hospital’s own terms and conditions will take precedence over any general information provided on this website.
Payment terms, deposits, cancellation policies and refund arrangements are determined by the hospital where your procedure is booked. These will be provided to you before surgery.
Surgery can only proceed once all required payments have been received and all relevant consent, preoperative assessment and hospital requirements have been completed.
To help make treatment more affordable, you may choose to spread the cost of your procedure through a personal medical loan with Chrysalis Finance. Subject to eligibility and approval, Chrysalis offers a range of flexible finance options, allowing you to pay for your treatment in manageable monthly instalments rather than a single upfront payment.
The hospitals we work with offer finance options through Chrysalis Finance. Please contact your chosen hospital directly for further information or to discuss any questions.
Mr Izadi is registered with the private medical insurers shown below. Coverage for consultations and treatment is subject to the terms of your policy and insurers approval.
Get in Touch
A consultation at The Antler Clinic is simply a chance to talk – to ask questions, explore your options, and decide what feels right for you.
You’ll leave with clarity, reassurance, and the same calm support that defines everything we do.
