Category Archives: Spinal Cord Injury Treatment

KEY LARGO For 23 years, Zech Carsons body has been paralyzed. He went in for a tackle on the football field his senior year at Island Christian School and never got back up. Hes been in a wheelchair since. Being on the field that night changed his life forever. Carson was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center where he endured a 10-hour surgery to repair his neck and spine. The burst fracture of his C4 vertebra left him a quadriplegic. He spent the remainder of his senior year in the hospital and underwent physical therapy five days a week for five years. My body feels like when you go to the dentist and get Novocain and your cheek is all swollen and numb, Carson said, but its my whole body. But he has newfound hope that he will walk again. Carson has been given a chance for epidural stimulation therapy to possibly regain lost mobility and dramatically improve his quality of life. This experimental treatment involves surgically implanting a computer chip in the lower spinal cords protective membrane combined with intensive physical therapy and stem-cell injections. The 41-year-old Key Largo native is giddy with excitement over this opportunity thats been given … Continue reading →

Sexual dysfunction and infertility are common in males with traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and infertility in males with traumatic SCI managed in Jamaica, as well as the therapeutic options offered. A cross-sectional study including males with traumatic SCI managed at the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Centre, Kingston, Jamaica was carried out between 1 January and 31 December 2015. Sexual function was measured with the International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire, and further information on social history, fertility desires and treatment options offered were collected. Data were analyzed using Stata 12 for Windows (College Station, TX, USA). The mean age of patients at the time of study was 38.815.3 years (range 19-71) with a mean duration of injury of 3.72.4 years (range 1.3-15.6). Of 45 patients with traumatic SCI surveyed, 90.7% had erectile dysfunction, with 62.8% being classified as severe and 73.3% of men were unable to ejaculate. Treatment for erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction was offered in only two patients, respectively. Most (71.1%) patients indicated that they wanted to have children in the future, however, no one had been referred for assisted reproductive techniques. Men with traumatic … Continue reading →

Mengye Zhu,1,* Fuqing Zhou,2,* Lingchao Li,1 Qin Yin,3 Mizhen Qiu,1 Yong Zhang1 1Department of Pain Clinic, 2Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 3Department of Pain Clinic, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Peoples Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) complicated by epidural anesthesia, though rare, can result in neuropathic pain. However, the treatment for this kind of life-altering injury remains a challenge. A 7-year-old girl was referred with dyskinesia and severe pain in her right lower extremity due to an accidental SCI following lumbar puncture. After treatment with analgesics such as gabapentin, mecobalamin, and dexamethasone/methylprednisolone for 1 week, the myodynamia had improved, but progressive pain persisted. After treatment with neurotropin, a gradual decrease in visual analog scale score from 7 to 0 was observed. We herein first describe that neurotropin produced sustained relief of pain induced by SCI. This case suggests that neurotropin might be a promising drug in treating pediatric neuropathic pain caused by SCI. Keywords: spinal cord injury, pain, neurotropin, children This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php … Continue reading →

U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Tommy Dubois shielded loved ones from his unkempt home and muddled thoughts with a knee-high gate propped in the entrance-way, the type used to corral small children and dogs. Without it, his rambunctious rescue pit bull named Guinness would greet people with two salt-and-peppered paws on their chest. But the flimsy plastic barricade had a way of protecting 30-year-old Tommy as much as his visitors. The line between friend and foe was razor thin for Tommy after a tour of duty in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2007 and 2008. The unexpected became permanently intolerable for the Salem, N.H., man. "He would always have the gate up so no one could get past the kitchen," his mother, Ellen Hill, said. "If I had walked through and got to his room, I would have seen the depression right there. He wasn't brought up to live like that. It became clear that he was hiding something." Barricaded doors and a general disinterest in self-care, both out of character for Tommy, were warning signs that something was not right. But his family didn't recognize them until it was too late. On May 4 in his Hill Street home, Tommy took his … Continue reading →

A spinal cord injury is the result of damage to any portion of the spinal cord or the nerves at the base of the spine. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerve fibers and tissue which lies within spine forming the brains connection to the body. Damage to any part of the spinal cord can impact sensory, motor, and reflex capabilities if the brain is unable to send information past the location of the injury. The higher the injury occurs, the more severe the damage. The level of completeness can also impact severity though no two people have the same prognosis for a spinal cord injury. The spinal cord and the brain make up the bodys central nervous system. The central nervous system is thought to be the most important of all body systems. The spinal cord is encased within ring-shaped bones called vertebrae. Both the spinal cord and the corresponding vertebrae are covered with a protective membrane which together form the spinal column (or backbone). The spinal cord itself contains an array of nerve cell bodies (grey matter) and axons (white matter) running from the brain to the body with peripheral nerves exiting at openings throughout the vertebrae. … Continue reading →

Begin Slideshow 2 Photo: Nathan Phillips, Associated Press Robert Paylor was paralyzed in a May 6 match. Robert Paylor was paralyzed in a May 6 match. Cal rugby coach Jack Clark discussed Robert Paylors injury for the first time on May 11. Cal rugby coach Jack Clark discussed Robert Paylors injury for the first time on May 11. Paralyzed Cal rugby player moved to Colorado Robert Paylor, the Cal rugby player who was paralyzed during the May 6 national championship Varsity Cup match against Arkansas State, was flown to a treatment center in Colorado on Thursday, according to a statement from Bears coach Jack Clark. Roberts spinal cord injury has resulted in significant paralysis, said Clark, who is with his team in Philadelphia for the Collegiate Rugby Championship 7s. Hes had an operation to stabilize his spine, after which he battled the onset of pneumonia, high blood pressure and difficulty swallowing, resulting in the necessity of a feeding tube. Throughout this truly difficult period, Robert has been a champion, battling every day to restore his health in order to be cleared by doctors for the next stage of his rehabilitation. According to the statement, Paylor, a 6-foot-5, 233-pound sophomore from … Continue reading →

For someone who plays the guitar and piano for a living, an injury rendering one's fingers debilitated would be nothing less than startling. That's exactly what happened to Broomfield native Robert Michael Sanders. After touring around the world with his band Silence for 20 years, then producing his own solo album, Sanders Robert Michael is his stage name underwent a very common shoulder surgery. Something went screwy with the oxygen, there was spinal cord damage. I couldn't move anything from shoulders down, Sanders recalled. That was terrifying. There was no way I could wrap my head around that. That was in 2013. Sanders had to start over, first relearning how to walk and sit. After three months of rehab at the renowned Craig Hospital in Englewood, he was walking, and most of his physical agility returned. But the lasting effect settled in arms and hands. My fine motor skills were cut in half, he said. So, guitar playing went away completely. Piano did at first too, but I used it as rehab tool. As one might imagine, this sudden life change did not come without difficulty. It has taken a long time to let that soak in and be good … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV)today announced the posting of the management presentation and Q&A session recording from the 2017 Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 30th, 2017. The recording is available on the investor relations page of InVivos website at http://www.invivotherapeutics.com/investor-relations/annual-meeting/. Mark Perrin, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, said, I was pleased with the turnout at this years annual shareholders meeting. The meeting was a great opportunity for me to answer questions directly from our shareholders while providing some key updates on our recent progress. I look forward to continued opportunities to communicate with the investment community going forward. About InVivo Therapeutics InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is a research and clinical-stage biomaterials and biotechnology company with a focus on treatment of spinal cord injuries. The company was founded in 2005 with proprietary technology co-invented by Robert Langer, Sc.D., Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Joseph P. Vacanti, M.D., who then was at Boston Childrens Hospital and who now is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2011, the company earned the David S. Apple Award from the American Spinal Injury Association for its outstanding contribution to spinal cord injury medicine. In 2015, the companys investigational Neuro-Spinal Scaffold received … Continue reading →

The "greatest show on dirt" makes its return with the annual Chilhowee Shrine Club Rodeo this weekend. Hosted by stock contractor H-Bar-M and sponsored by L&M Motors, the Southern Rough Stock Association-sanctioned rodeo will feature bull riding, barrel racing, mutton bustin', mechanical bulls, stick horse racing, and rodeo clowns. The rodeo will be held Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3, in the Layman Building at Athens Regional Park. Gates will open each day at 5:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 8 p.m., rain or shine. "This is always an action-packed event from start to finish," said Mike Moore of H-Bar-M Rodeos. Part of the Ram Rodeo Series, the event will feature "Hollywood Slinger," the bull actor Scott Eastwood rode in the movie "The Longest Ride." A number of events will be held for the little cowgirls and cowboys, including stick horse races and Mutton Bustin'. "Mutton Bustin' is really a big draw for the kids," said Moore. "They love riding those sheep." Two lucky kids will be able to take home their own calf - or cash -during the rodeo. Athens Stockyard will again donate one calf each night during the Calf Scramble, which is open to children … Continue reading →

Invivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp (NVIV) Getting Somewhat Favorable Media Coverage, Study Shows The Cerbat Gem The Company is engaged in developing and commercializing biopolymer-scaffolding devices for the treatment of spinal cord injuries (SCI). The Company's approach to treating acute SCIs is based on its investigational Neuro Spinal Scaffold implant, ... and more » Go here to read the rest: Invivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp (NVIV) Getting Somewhat Favorable Media Coverage, Study Shows - The Cerbat Gem … Continue reading →