Surgeons from Australia say they have managed to have nerve implants that have made many paraplegics able to move their palms and arms again. Surgeons used sound neural pathways to restore movement of paralyzed muscles.
Patients who underwent these surgeries are now able to independently do many of their daily affairs, such as the researchers, led by Natasha Van Zell of the Austin Hills Health Center in Melbourne. Eating, drinking, washing teeth, writing or using a computer.
All 16 patients who underwent the surgery were paralyzed in all four limbs, the researchers said.
In a statement to The Lancet, Van Zell was quoted as saying that improving the palm function is the single most important goal of the four parties with paralysis.
The researchers pointed out that the requirement for the success of this surgery is that the spine is not injured above the fifth cervical vertebra, as this enables surgeons to transfer nerve leads from the top of the fifth cervical vertebra in a way that is able to stimulate the muscles of the arm.
During a surgical technique, surgeons took the nerve that activates the round muscle in the shoulder area and tied it to a nerve pathway that leads to the tricep muscle in the humerus. In another surgical procedure, nerves were connected to many forearm muscles.
"In addition, we have demonstrated that neurosurgery can be successfully linked to tendon transfer techniques to maximize the benefit," the researchers continued.
Patients with arm nerve transplants used their arm for sensitive motor activities, while patients with tendon transplants used their arm for activities requiring strength.
"None of the patients complained about surgery, and everyone said they would have it again if they were in the same circumstances and would recommend it to others," the researchers stressed. Four out of 59 neurological transplants did not work.
"Neurological transplants are an inexpensive option that enables patients to use their physical abilities to restore the paralyzed organ," said Elizabeth Hill and Ida Fox of the University of Washington in San Luis.
At the same time, the experts pointed out that one of the downsides of neurosurgery is that patients have to wait several months before they can make new movements, and years to regain their full strength.
But neurosurgeon surgery is a tremendous advance to restore palm function after spinal cord injury.
Rüdiger Rob, of the University Hospital Heidelberg in Germany, expressed his admiration for the study, especially the large number of patients who underwent surgery, and said that previous studies on nerve implants, included only individual cases. "It is an honest study that also addresses the limitations of this surgical approach and the patient's satisfaction," said Rob, head of the experimental neurological rehabilitation department.
One of the conditions for the success of this surgery is that it has not been more than 18 months after the spinal cord injury, and that shoulder and elbow functions are still present, at least in part. Rob said the group of German-speaking countries had only a handful of centers performing the surgery.
"Neurological implants are an inexpensive option, which makes patients able to use their physical abilities to restore the paralyzed organ."
"The downside of nerve transplantation is that patients have to wait several months before they can make new movements and years to regain their full strength."
"One of the prerequisites for the success of this surgery is that it has not been more than 18 months after the spinal cord injury, and that shoulder and elbow functions are still present, at least in part."