Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Advertisement

Crippled Patients Able to Walk Again Thanks To New Spinal Implant

by Rukmani Krishna on March 4, 2013 at 10:27 PM
 Crippled Patients Able to Walk Again Thanks To New Spinal Implant

New hope was offered to thousands of people suffering the daily agony of spinal injury by a revolutionary spinal implant.

The new device developed by scientists at London's Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital has allowed crippled patients to walk again and freed others from a life of constant, debilitating pain, the Daily Express reported.

Advertisement

It works by disrupting and thereby dramatically reducing pain signals to the brain.

The team, who worked with researchers in Belgium and were funded by the US device company Nevro Corp, tested the implant on 83 patients.

Before the implant patients gave eight out of 10 as an average pain score, with 10 being the worst. Six months after the implant it fell to two.
Advertisement

The technique requires implanting wires near the spinal cord, which are linked to a generator. This gives off high frequency electrical impulses, which the patient does not feel.

The device has opened up a new frontier in pain management, said Dr Adnan Al-Kaisy, a pain and electrical nerve stimulation specialist at Guy's Hospital who led the study.

"Patients who have been given it have been able to come off painkilling drugs, go back to work and enjoy their lives again. There is nothing else out there that can reduce pain by this much. We are so proud at Guy's to have been part of its development," he asserted.

Though the research has so far been carried out on people suffering severe back and leg pain caused by spinal injury, experts have said that the implant, which is free from side effects, could treat other painful conditions such as migraine and nerve damage.

Patients with chronic spinal pain who had the implant said that it's changed their life.

Source: ANI
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest General Health News

First Human Case of Rare Swine Flu Strain H1N2 Found in UK
Swine influenza A viruses, including subtypes H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2, are prominent among pigs and sporadically transmit to humans.
Unraveling the Mystery Respiratory Illness in US Dogs
The microorganism "is a newly identified potential disease-causing agent, possibly originating from or evolving within the dog's microbiome."
Why Red Wine Cause Headache?
Flavanol naturally present in red wine can compromise the proper metabolism of alcohol and lead to a headache.
Raw Meat Raises Antibiotic-Resistant E.Coli Risk in Dogs
To reduce bacterial risks, pet owners can switch to a non-raw diet or obtain quality raw meat for cooking before feeding dogs.
U.S. Men Die 6 Years Earlier Than Women- A Review on Life Expectancy Gap
Since 2010, the gender gap in life expectancy in the US has increased to six years because of the pandemic, accidents, opioid overdoses, injuries, and suicide.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Crippled Patients Able to Walk Again Thanks To New Spinal Implant Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests