Foundations & Frontiers in Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Surgery
The Duke Nerve Center invites you to the 3rd Annual Duke Nerve Course, an immersive, hands-on cadaver-based program focused on advancing surgical expertise in peripheral nerve and brachial plexus reconstruction.
This two-day course is designed for residents, fellows, early-career surgeons, and teaching faculty in orthopaedic surgery, plastic surgery, and neurosurgery. Participants will engage in targeted didactics and intensive cadaver lab sessions emphasizing surgical exposure, operative strategy, and technical precision.
A parallel occupational and physical therapy track offers specialized education in the management of peripheral nerve and brachial plexus injuries, with integrated cadaver lab experiences that provide insight into surgical anatomy and intraoperative decision-making—strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and continuity of care.
Join colleagues from across the southeastern United States for a focused educational experience that combines technical training, multidisciplinary learning, and clinical relevance.
Course Details
- Dates: Friday-Saturday, September 11–12, 2026
- Location: Duke University
Duke Human Fresh Tissue Laboratory - Format: Cadaver-based | Intensive hands-on labs
- Target Audience
- Surgical Track
- Fellows in Hand & Peripheral Nerve Surgery
- Early-career surgeons
- Senior residents in Orthopaedic, Plastic, & Neurosurgery
- Therapy / Rehabilitation Track
- Certified hand, occupational & physical therapists focused on peripheral nerve injury and rehabilitation
- Surgical Track
- Registration fee: $250
Course Registration
- Contact: For questions, please contact dyj3@duke.edu
Course Objectives / Methodology
This course emphasizes hands-on learning, with participants carrying out cadaver dissections and ultrasound skills firsthand, supported by diverse faculty who move throughout the room offering live coaching, individual perspectives, and practical pearls tailored to each topic.
- Peripheral nerve ultrasound skills lab (surgical track)
- Nerve injury rehabilitation (therapist track)
- Surgical anatomy of the upper extremity
- Brachial plexus exploration & reconstruction
- Upper-extremity reanimation w/ distal nerve transfers & free functional muscle transfer
- Nerve decompressions of the upper extremity
- Spasticity of the upper extremity
Program & Dissections (Agenda)
Friday, September 11
| LOCATION | SUBJECT |
|---|---|
| Duke South Auditorium | Morning Workshops for Surgical Track: Peripheral nerve ultrasound skills |
| Trent Semans Center 3025 | Morning Workshop for Therapy/Rehab Track: Peripheral nerve injury rehabilitation |
| Human Fresh Tissue Lab | Supraclavicular brachial plexus |
| Infraclavicular brachial plexus | |
| Transaxillary approach to brachial plexus | |
| Posterior approach — suprascapular nerve | |
| Trunk — intercostals, thoracodorsal & long thoracic nerves | |
| Spasticity Techniques |
Saturday, September 12
| LOCATION | SUBJECT |
|---|---|
| Human Fresh Tissue Lab | Double-fascicular nerve transfer |
| Radial-to-axillary nerve transfer | |
| Brachial-to-AIN | |
| Supinator-to-PIN | |
| FDS / FCR-to-ECRB / PIN | |
| AIN-to-ulnar transfer | |
| AIN-to-branches of deep PIN | |
| ADM-to-recurrent motor branches | |
| Opponens-to-TDUN (Bertelli) | |
| Ulnar compression neuropathies | |
| Median compression neuropathies | |
| Radial compression neuropathies | |
| Free functioning muscle transfer |
Networking Events
Thursday, September 10
6:00 PM: Pre-Course Evening Mixer
JB Duke Hotel Bar
Optional welcome gathering the evening before the course
Friday, September 11
6:00 PM: Course Dinner & Networking
21c Museum Hotel, Durham
An evening among colleagues and faculty with honorary lectures by Joaquim Casañas Sintes and Zhongyu John Li.
Lodging Options
| JB Duke Hotel | Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club | The Lodge at Duke Medical Center |
| 230 Science Drive, Durham 27708 | 3001 Cameron Blvd, Durham 27705 | 2306 Elba Street, Durham 27705 |
| (919) 660-6400 | (919) 490-0999 | (919) 286-3111 |
Staff
Ashlee Barber - staff lead
Eric Buie - HFTL staff
Ralph Erdmann - HFTL staff
Jessica Holt - HFTL staff
Ginger Newbold - HFTL staff
Tanya Schreiber - website / technology support
Our Sponsors
The Duke Nerve Course gratefully acknowledges the following industry sponsors: Alafair, Axogen, Biocircuit, Bioventus, Checkpoint Therapeutics, DB Surgical, GE Healthcare, Orthocell, Samsung, Tissium, Tulavi