To repair a damaged nerve, a surgeon removes a small part of the sural nerve in the leg and implants this nerve at the site of the repair.
Sometimes the surgeon can use another working nerve to make an injured nerve work, known as nerve transfer.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press.
Make a gift to our 2025 Drive to Cure Cancer and transform the way cancer is treated and defeated.