The Peripheral Nerve Program is available to provide and coordinate a full range of services for the evaluation and surgical care of individuals suffering from peripheral nerve pathology. Diagnostic services such as evaluation by EMG and nerve conduction studies are supplemented by the use of specialized Magnetic Resonance Neurography imaging techniques which are applicable to suspected peripheral nerve tumors, traumatic injury, post-irradiation neuritis, chronic compression, and pain syndromes where an anatomic lesion is suspected.
Lesions involving any part of the peripheral nervous system are appropriate for referral.
Surgical services include internal and external neurolysis for the management of scar, surgical revision of painful neuromas, excision of nerve sheath tumors with intraoperative electrophysiologic monitoring, surgical exploration of complex or scarred nerve injuries, and nerve grafting for repair if needed. The program emphasizes early referral of patients with severe nerve injuries so that critical periods for surgical re-innervation are not missed due to delay in evaluation. The UCLA Peripheral Nerve Program is a world leader in the development of new diagnostic methodology for evaluation of peripheral nerve disorders. Dr. Aaron Filler is an internationally known expert in magnetic resonance imaging of nerves and led the team that initially developed the new technique of MR Neurography. This method now allows detailed imaging and localization of a wide variety of nerve lesions at the gross and vascular level.