A paralyzed man suffering from a severed spinal cord was given the ability to walk again after Swiss researchers developed an implant that helped him regain control of his legs.
The medical marvel is the first successful attempt to help an individual who has suffered a complete cut to his spinal cord to walk by himself. The revolutionary technology has also aided the improvement in the health of another person who was paralyzed, giving him the chance to become a father.
Paralyzed Man Walks
The researchers published their study in the journal Nature Medicine to share the potentially life-changing effects of the technology. The individual, identified as Michel Roccati, was left paralyzed encountering a motorbike accident five years ago. The victim's spinal cord was left completely severed, leaving him with no feeling in his legs at all.
But with the help of the new technology, Roccati was able to walk thanks to the electrical implant that was surgically attached to his spine. Researchers involved in the development of the new technology emphasized that the implant was not a cure for a spinal injury and noted it was still too complicated to use in everyday life, BBC reported.
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However, the team said that the new technology was a major step forward in trying to improve the quality of a paralyzed person's life. Roccati is among three men who were part of the clinical trial to test the effectiveness of the implant.
Researchers implanted the electrode device directly into the area between the vertebrae and the spinal cord membrane. It is the area that receives currents from a pacemaker that is implanted under the skin of the men's abdomen.
People reported that, during an interview after his surgery, Roccati said that he was finally free and that he was able to walk wherever he wanted, thanks to the electrode implant in his spinal cord. Dr. Jocelyne Block of Lausanne University Hospital and Gregoire Courtine of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology led the clinical trial known as the STIMO trial.
Revolutionary Technology
Bloch said that the three men involved in the trial were able to immediately stand up after the surgery and take steps with a bit of support. Roccati noted that on the first day after the surgery, he was able to see his legs move, a sight that was very emotional for him.
While many groups have already been investigating the use of implants to stimulate the nerves of a person's spinal cord, the majority of studies focused on people with less severe injuries. The idea behind the technology is that the stimulation allows remaining nerves to be more excitable, amplifying weak signals the brain sends to the legs.
Ronaldo Ichiyama from the University of Leeds, UK, said that the new technology was a monumental step forward. However, they noted that there need to be more studies and more successful trials before it could be advised to be used by more victims who are suffering from paralysis due to damage to their spinal cords, according to New Scientist.
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