China's first closed-loop spinal cord neural interface surgery helps 61-y-o paraplegic patient regain walking ability

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A paraplegic patient from East China's Zhejiang Province is now able to stand and walk independently after undergoing China's first closed-loop spinal cord neural interface surgery recently, marking a significant breakthrough for Chinese medical development in terms of spinal nerve interface and neural function remodeling.

The surgery was performed by The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine in association with The Zhejiang University’s Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, the State Key Lab of Brain-Machine Intelligence, and the College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science on a male paraplegic patient surnamed Jin, according to the China News Service.

Following the surgery, Jin's lower limb motor functions have shown continuous and significant improvement. He can not only walk in a straight line but also can accomplish a variety of daily activities such as turning around, going up and down slopes and walking at varying speeds,

The 61-year-old was diagnosed as a complete paraplegic in a local hospital last October after suffering a fracture of the thoracic 3/4 vertebrae following a fall from a height injury. Despite undergoing spinal surgery followed by four months of systematic rehabilitation training, Jin was still unable to lift his legs, showed no significant improvement in motor function, and had no control over urination or defecation, along with reduced sensation, The Paper reported on Tuesday.

In March, Jin underwent the implantation surgery for a “closed-loop spinal nerve interface” at The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine. During the surgery, neurosurgeons precisely implanted a spinal cord stimulation electrode with 16 contact points into his lumbar spine, and implanted a matchbox-sized wireless, rechargeable stimulation controller in his abdomen, according to The Paper.

This surgery marks the first instance in China that a closed-loop spinal nerve interface has been used to compensate for muscle strength output and achieve control over the body’s center of gravity and movement balance. It is also worth noting that all the medical devices used in the surgery are products with completely independent intellectual property rights owned by China, according to zjol.com.cn.

Post-surgery, the project team further optimized and adjusted the stimulation patterns and parameters. On the third day after the surgery, Jin was able to control movements such as bending and lifting his legs. By the 15th day after the operation, he successfully achieved independent standing and walking. One month after the surgery, his lower limb motor function had significantly improved. With the help of a walker, he regained the ability to walk independently, according to The Paper.

More importantly, Jin’s lower limb sensory function gradually recovered. His overall quality of life was greatly enhanced with his regained autonomous bowel control and significantly improved urinary function. This suggests that this technology not only improves motor function but also holds potential for promoting the repair of neural sensory pathways, according to The Paper.

The success of this surgery is anticipated to offer new hope for functional recovery to the 3.7 million people in China living with spinal cord injuries. According to the project team, they will continue to advance prospective clinical research, recruit clinical trial participants, increase clinical application cases, and explore new approaches for neural injury repair and treatment in more patients with paraplegia, according to zjol.com.cn.