Access to surgical upper extremity care for people with tetraplegia: an international perspective

Study design: Survey. Objectives: To determine whether upper extremity reconstruction in patients with tetraplegia is underutilized internationally and, if so, what are the barriers to care. Setting: International—attendees of a meeting in Paris, France. Methods: One hundred and seventy attendees at the Tetrahand meeting in Paris in 2010 were sent a 13-question survey to determine the access and utilization of upper limb reconstruction in tetraplegic patients in their practice. Results: Respondents ranged the globe including North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Fifty-nine percent of respondents had been practicing for more than 10 years. Sixty-four percent of respondents felt that at least 25% of people with tetraplegia would be candidates for surgery. Yet the majority of respondents found that