A person who was unable to walk for 12 years is now able to walk after two electrical implants. Photo: BBC
Geneva: Garrett John Oscum, 40, is now slowly learning to walk after getting back on his feet 12 years later. He was unable to walk after an accident.
Gert Oscum is the first patient to have a modern electrical implant implanted in his brain and spinal cord. An implant is in the brain that reads their thoughts and sends them to the legs and feet thanks to another chip. According to the British charity Spinal Research, this is an experimental procedure with “very encouraging” results.
The patient said that he can now stand, climb stairs but is learning to walk like a newborn. The rationale for this invention has been published in the scientific journal Nature.
Dr. Jacqueline Bloch of the University of Leuven in Switzerland performed this delicate surgery in which two round holes were made in the patient’s skull. He controls the movements of the thaa at the point of sending them down. Then they placed two sensors round like coins. Then a helmet with two more sensors was put on the patient.
A computer algorithm was then created that converted the brain signals into instructions to move the legs and feet. A second graft was then implanted in Garrett’s sacrum. The graft was connected to the nerve fibers that help the legs move.
The patient was then given physiotherapy-like exercises. At some point the signals and instructions started to sync up and he stood on his first toe and now started walking.
According to Dr. Jacqueline, this is still an experimental process, but it will take several years to prove equally useful for all individuals.
(function(d, s, id){
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3&appId=770767426360150”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));
(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = “//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.7”;
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, ‘script’, ‘facebook-jssdk’));