Physicians with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., used an implantable device to deliver electrical stimulation to the spinal cord of a paralyzed man. Treatment with the device and intense physical therapy allowed the patient to stand and make step-like motions for the first time in three years, according to a case study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
The case study involved a 26-year-old man who injured his spinal cord three years ago, leaving him unable to feel anything below the middle of his torso.
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After 22 weeks of intensive physical therapy, the patient underwent surgery to implant an electrode near the spinal cord below the injury cite. The implanted electrode is computer controlled and sends an electric current to the patient's spine. After a three-week recovery period, the patient was able to return to physical therapy where he successfully moved his legs and stood independently while using support bars.
"We're really excited, because our results went beyond our expectations," said Kendall Lee, MD, PhD, the director of Mayo Clinic's Neural Engineering Laboratory and the study's principal investigator. "These are initial findings, but the patient is continuing to make progress."
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