2 paralyzed patients regain walking ability with spinal cord implant stimulation: 3 insights

Spine

Two spinal cord injury patients with complete motor paralysis were able to walk independently after a combined regimen of locomotor exercises and spinal cord epidural stimulation, according to a study in NEJM.

Here are three things to know:

1. Researchers tested intense locomotor treadmill training with weight support and simultaneous spinal cord epidural stimulation in four traumatic SCI patients who failed to improve with locomotor training alone.

2. A patient with a mid-cervical spinal cord injury was able to walk over ground after 278 sessions of epidural stimulation and gait training over 85 weeks. A patient with high-thoracic spinal cord damage was able to walk after 81 sessions over 15 weeks.

3. All patients achieved trunk stability and were able to stand independently.

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