Paralyzed Man Stands Thanks to Experimental Spine Implant

[Justin]

The Atlantic Wire

Paralyzed Man Stands Thanks to Experimental Spine Implant

BY ADAM CLARK ESTES / MAY 20, 2011
Copyright © 2011 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All rights reserved.

Rob Summers stunned doctors at the University of Louisville when, for the first time in five years, he stood on his own two feet. Paralyzed from the waist down after being hit by a car at age 20, the former Oregon State baseball player may one day step back into the batters box thanks to an electrical stimulator attached to his spine. His gleeful reaction is priceless not only for the double entendre but also for the reminder of how historical this medical breakthrough could be. "It was unbelievable," Summers told the New York Times. "There was so much going through my head at that point; I was amazed, was in shock."

For the entire article, click here: Paralyzed Man Stands Thanks to Experimental Spine Implant.

[Carson]

Thata' way, Rob! Man I love hearing of news like that.
We should find a way to contact Rob and have him stop in. Would really like to hear of his progress.

[Justin]

Free full-text (PDF) is attached to this post:

The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 20 May 2011

Effect of epidural stimulation of the lumbosacral spinal cord on voluntary movement, standing, and assisted stepping after motor complete paraplegia: a case study

Prof Susan Harkema PhD a b, Yury Gerasimenko PhD c d, Jonathan Hodes MD a, Prof Joel Burdick PhD e, Claudia Angeli PhD a b, Yangsheng Chen PhD a b, Christie Ferreira BSc a b, Andrea Willhite BA a b, Enrico Rejc MSc f, Prof Robert G Grossman MD g, Prof V Reggie Edgerton PhD d.

a Department of Neurological Surgery, Kentucky Spinal Cord Research Center, University of Louisville, KY, USA
b Frazier Rehab Institute, Louisville, KY, USA
c Pavlov Institute of Physiology, St Petersburg, Russia
d Department of Integrative Biology and Comparative Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
e Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
f Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
g Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurological Institute, The Methodist Hospital, Texas, Houston, TX, USA.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Limited.

Summary

Background
Repeated periods of stimulation of the spinal cord and training increased the ability to control movement in animal models of spinal cord injury. We hypothesised that tonic epidural spinal cord stimulation can modulate spinal circuitry in human beings into a physiological state that enables sensory input from standing and stepping movements to serve as a source of neural control to undertake these tasks.

Methods
A 23-year-old man who had paraplegia from a C7—T1 subluxation as a result of a motor vehicle accident in July 2006, presented with complete loss of clinically detectable voluntary motor function and partial preservation of sensation below the T1 cord segment. After 170 locomotor training sessions over 26 months, a 16-electrode array was surgically placed on the dura (L1—S1 cord segments) in December 2009, to allow for chronic electrical stimulation. Spinal cord stimulation was done during sessions that lasted up to 250 min. We did 29 experiments and tested several stimulation combinations and parameters with the aim of the patient achieving standing and stepping.

Findings
Epidural stimulation enabled the man to achieve full weight-bearing standing with assistance provided only for balance for 4·25 min. The patient achieved this standing during stimulation using parameters identified as specific for standing while providing bilateral load-bearing proprioceptive input. We also noted locomotor-like patterns when stimulation parameters were optimised for stepping. Additionally, 7 months after implantation, the patient recovered supraspinal control of some leg movements, but only during epidural stimulation.

Interpretation
Task-specific training with epidural stimulation might reactivate previously silent spared neural circuits or promote plasticity. These interventions could be a viable clinical approach for functional recovery after severe paralysis.

Funding
National Institutes of Health and Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

[juju]

Free full-text (PDF) is attached to this post:

a viable clinical approach for functional recovery after severe paralysis.

Funding
National Institutes of Health and Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Thank you Justin for this post. I've save the pdf and will be sending it to my boyfriend who is still recovery from paralysis following ADR surgery.