Category Archives: Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

Matthew Reeve lost his father Christopher Reeve, who became well-known for his portrayal of Superman, about 10 years ago due to secondary complications from paralysis, caused by a horse riding accident. His family foundation Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is sponsoring a clinical trial for a device to restore movement in paralyzed patients by sending an electrical current to the spinal cord. He spoke with New Scientist about some early successes epidural stimulation has had on four patients and its interest in recruiting 36 more patients with spinal cord injuries to undergo the paralysis treatment. Heres how it works. The 16-electrode stimulator is implanted in the same place on each patients spine, no matter which location the spinal cord was severed. The user applies a continuous electrical current at varying frequencies and intensities to specific regions in the lower spinal cord where there are dense bundles of nerves that control the hips, knees, ankles and toes. The effect of the device is to mimic signals that would normally be transmitted by the brain to artificially rekindle movement in those regions, Reeve said. So far the results for the paralysis treatment sound impressive. The four adults treated with the implant, each … Continue reading →

Ten years after the death of actor and activist Christopher Reeve, his eldest son, Matthew, is revealing a "huge breakthrough" in the treatment of spinal cord injuries and wishes his dad were here to see it. "It's hard not to think, 'What if he was here and what if he was present for this breakthrough?' " says Reeve, who offers PEOPLE an exclusive first look at a video showing the amazing progress made by four young men paralyzed by spinal cord injuries. The men were told they would never be able to move again below their neck or chest but are now able to stand and move their hips, legs and toes with the help of a new therapy called epidural stimulation. "As much as we miss him," the 34-year-old writer and director says of his famous dad, "there's a comfort in the fact that we wouldn't be where we are had it not been for his tireless advocacy." Indeed, after the Superman actor was paralyzed in a 1995 horseback riding accident, he spent the last years of his life lobbying for cutting-edge research that might offer a cure. He and wife Dana Reeve, who died of lung cancer in … Continue reading →

paralysis A. Pawlowski TODAY contributor Oct. 9, 2014 at 10:49 AM ET The family of Christopher Reeve is announcing what it calls a "game changer in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. "It's hard not to think, 'What if he was here and what if he was present for this breakthrough?' Matthew Reeve, the late actors son, told People magazine on the eve of the 10th anniversary of Reeves death. My father dreamed of a world with empty wheelchairs and gave hope to a whole community this is a key new step in that hope becoming realized." AFP-Getty Images Christopher Reeve poses with his wife, Dana, and their son, Will in Los Angeles in 1997. Four paralyzed men who were not able to move any muscles below their neck or chest can now move their toes, feet and legs, and are even able to stand with the help of epidural stimulation, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation announced Thursday. The therapy involves implanting a device thats wired to the paralyzed patients spinal cord and applies an electrical current, which helps provide signals that would normally come from the brain, according to the foundations The Big Idea website. Continued here: Christopher … Continue reading →

StemCells Inc. ( STEM ) announced that it has commenced a phase II proof-of-concept study, Pathway, which will use the company's proprietary human neural system stem cells (HuCNS-SC) platform for treating patients suffering from cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). The company's phase II trial is titled "Study of Human Central Nervous System (CNS) Stem Cell Transplantation in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury." The randomized, controlled, single-blind study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of transplanting HuCNS-SC cells into patients with traumatic injury in the cervical region of the spinal cord. The study will evaluate patients for a period of 12 months post-enrollment. We remind investors that earlier in the year, the company had reported encouraging interim results from a phase I/II thoracic SCI study. StemCells intends to present final data from the phase I/II study in mid-2015. According to the press release issued by StemCells, nearly 1.3 million people in the U.S. have reported paralysis due to an SCI and about 56% of spinal cord injuries occur in the cervical region. Upon approval, the new treatment will provide significant benefits to patients suffering from cervical SCI considering the present lack of effective treatments. Meanwhile, StemCells is currently evaluating HuCNS-SC cells for … Continue reading →

By RTT News, October 07, 2014, 08:10:00 AM EDT (RTTNews.com) - StemCells, Inc. ( STEM ) has initiated its Pathway Study, a Phase II proof of concept trial using its proprietary HuCNS-SC platform of human neural stem cells for the treatment of cervical spinal cord injury or SCI. Nearly 1.3 million people in the U.S. report being paralyzed due to an SCI, and there currently are no effective treatments available. Around 56% of the spinal cord injuries occur in the cervical region. Overall, about 13% of SCI patients have no mobility and 35% have limited mobility after the traumatic injury. The Pathway Study is the first study designed to assess both the safety and efficacy of transplanting stem cells into patients with traumatic injury to the cervical spinal cord. The study would be conducted as a randomized, controlled, single-blind study and efficacy would be mainly measured by evaluating motor function as per the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury. For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com http://www.rttnews.com Continued here: StemCells Begins Phase II Study In Cervical Spinal Cord Injury - Quick Facts … Continue reading →

Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) October 07, 2014 One of the best pain management clinics in Las Vegas, Nevada Pain, is now offering a revolutionary treatment for spinal fractures. The kyphoplasty procedure offers those with vertebral compression fractures tremendous pain relief instantly over 85% of the time. Call (702) 323-0553 for more information and scheduling. Millions of vertebral compression fractures occur in the US each year, and they often lead to disabling pain for months. In addition, compression fractures from osteoporosis often lead to future fractures, which can end up with a forward curvature that makes it difficult to walk properly. Kyphoplasty has been a groundbreaking procedure for patients, and Nevada Pain now offers the procedure. The Board Certified Las Vegas pain management doctors are specially trained in the procedure, which involves a minimally invasive approach with incisions under a centimeter. The procedure allows the pain doctor to inflate balloons in the vertebral fracture to regain some of the lost height. Pain relief with kyphoplasty has been shown in numerous studies to be approximately 90%, and most patients are able to go home the same day. Nevada Pain has board certified, award winning providers who offer both medical and interventional pain … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise TORONTO, October 2, 2014 Leading Canadian spinal cord injury (SCI) experts have launched the unprecedented Spinal Cord Injury: A Manifesto for Changea call to action and a plea for Canadian health-care providers and stakeholders to work in coordination to improve care and the health of people living with SCI in Canada. The Manifesto, based on the consensus of 23 experts, outlines the long-term issues for people living with SCI: secondary health concerns; increased need and utilization of health-care services; and disparate access to care, services and expertise. It presents four necessary actions to transform SCI health-care delivery for three health problems: pressure ulcers, fractures and cardiovascular disease. These conditions are associated with significant burden of illness and in extreme cases, risk of death among people with SCI. A huge gap in Canada is that these secondary conditions are not being recognized or managed in an appropriate setting, said Dr. Cathy Craven, lead author and physiatrist, Toronto Rehab, UHN. Too often people with these complex conditions seek out urgent care, present to the ER, or are unnecessarily hospitalized. The Manifesto lays out an action plan that needs to be taken by the Canadian … Continue reading →

BERNARDS TWP. - From his customized wheelchair, former Rutgers University football player Eric LeGrand shared his compelling story of working to overcome life's obstacles with students at Bonnie Brae School in Liberty Corner on Friday, Sept. 26. LeGrand, who suffered a paralyzing spinal cord injury during a 2010 football game, motored into the Bonnie Brae gym and was warmly greeted by a group of Bonnie Brae students wearing T-shirts they had air-brushed with his motto of Believe. A banner hanging front and center, also made by students, displayed the message that is recorded on LeGrands voicemail: Remember, never take anything for granted. Every day is a gift. Its a prize of its own, so go out there and receive it. Enjoy it and live it to the best of your ability. Believe. One could hear a pin drop in the schools gym as LeGrand related his personal journey of courage and inspiration with the 200 boys and staff members of Bonnie Brae. They said I would never breathe without a ventilator, and I did,'' he said. "They said I would never be able to eat a normal meal, and I did. They said I would never walk again, but I … Continue reading →

CHRIS SKELTON/Fairfax NZ TOUGH TIME: Erik Smeele now takes inspiration from the way his son is coping with his reduced functions. TRUE CHAMP: Brad Smeele in full flight. FATHER AND SON: Where Erik inspired a young Brad, he now draws inspiration from his successful son. As champion wakeboarder Brad Smeele recovers in a US hospital from a devastating spinal injury, his father draws inspiration from him to fight his own medical challenges. Ashten Macdonald reports. Before every competition, champion wakeboarder Brad Smeele would stand alone, eyes closed, visualising his run, spinning and dipping in his head, mentally mapping out his routine. But since an accident in July that left Brad a quadriplegic, his father, Erik Smeele, has hoped that his son will use the same visualisation techniques to overcome the odds and walk again. As 27-year-old Brad lies paralysed in Atlanta, Georgia, back home in Mt Wellington, Erik is holding on to happy memories of Brad. They help him cope with his son's very public struggle. Sitting silently, caressing his reading glasses, Erik ponders. Then his leg begins to rock. He smiles. Then he begins to speak. See the original post: Father and son help each other heal … Continue reading →

Boca Raton, Florida (PRWEB) September 26, 2014 All too often, the attorneys at Ft. Lauderdale-based personal injury law firm Ginnis & Krathen, P.A. see cases where slip and falls, product liability, premises liability and traffic accidents lead to neck and spinal injuries. Unfortunately, this almost always leads to serious damage because the neck and spine are connected to the central nervous system. Clients who have spinal injuries due to slip and fall or other accidents often need multiple surgeries and experience ongoing pain and difficulties, explains Eric Ginnis, founding partner of Ginnis & Krathen. "September is National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month, so this is the perfect time to educate the public on why experience is necessary for handling these types of personal injury cases since it's outcome can affect clients and their families for the rest of their lives." Eric has ample experience in personal injury law as well as an in-depth understanding of the medical issues involved in spinal injury cases. His pre-med studies as an undergrad focused on neurophysiology, or the functioning of the nervous system. As a result, Ginnis & Krathen has an advantage when it comes to the complexities of these particular cases involving a … Continue reading →