About This Blog:
- Researchers from Australia have developed a “bionic spine” that allows paraplegics to control body movements with their thoughts.
- The device is about the size of a paperclip and scientists are saying it can be embedded into the spine through minimally invasive spine surgery.
- In this blog, Dr. Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine explains how this new technology is making headway in Australia.
Bionic spines. Sounds like something out of an action movie, right? Well, researchers from Australia are fine-tuning a way to use electrodes to help paraplegics move their limbs using their own thoughts.
Although devices like this one have been created in the past, the scientists from Royal Melbourne Hospital have refined the piece of equipment so it can be implanted in the motor cortex of the brain and a small section of the shoulder. So far, the bionic spine has only been tested in sheep, but the hospital plans to implant the device in three patients by 2017.
The device works by feeding it through a catheter so it can be transported to the top of the motor cortex in the brain; once the catheter is removed, the bionic spine will be left behind. A small device will be implanted in the shoulder, which will help the bionic spine translate signals from the motor complex into actual movements. The bionic spine is fitted with electrodes that help detect these signals to make movements.
The biomedical engineer behind this device mentioned that patients would eventually learn how to move their limbs subconsciously and that the bionic spine would help the brain identify damaged pathways in the brain. Fortunately, the device could be implanted into the body through a procedure that is commonly used to remove blood clots.
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.