“A multifunctional electrical stimulation system”

  Spinal cord injuries occur frequently in large catastrophic events such as earthquakes and traffic accidents, and if a patient is unable to regain motor, sensory and bowel functions after a period of treatment and rehabilitation, it is called “paraplegia”. Not only is it difficult for paraplegic patients to take care of themselves and spend their whole life in bed or wheelchair, but also the odor caused by incontinence can make them very self-absorbed and reluctant to communicate with others and integrate into society, which is the biggest obstacle to the health of paraplegic patients. At present, paraplegia treatment is still a worldwide medical and social problem.  In order to solve this problem, generations of medical doctors have made unremitting efforts and have now achieved certain breakthroughs in certain aspects, among which the combination of medical and electronic technologies has given birth to “functional electrical stimulation technology”, which has shown its good clinical application. Recently, a hospital in Philadelphia, USA implanted a 22-channel “multifunctional electrical stimulation system” into three paralyzed patients, and after 1-2 months of training and adjustment after surgery, the three patients who were previously paralyzed and had no motor ability were able to They were able to stand up alone from their wheelchairs and walk more than 6 meters at a time with a swaying gait, while being able to take care of themselves, and two of them were able to go up and down stairs independently. At the same time, they can control urination and defecation with the assistance of an electrical stimulator. This is the miracle created by the combination of microelectronic technology and medical science.  Of course, just three successful surgeries are far from saying that the paraplegia problem has been solved. But its pioneering and inspiring effect is similar to that of a “concept car” at an auto show, guiding a new direction for the treatment of paraplegics. With technologies such as neural stem cell transplantation stopping at the laboratory, “functional electrical stimulation” is the only new technology that has been applied in the clinic and has brought tangible benefits to paraplegics.  Compared with the “multifunctional electrical stimulation” performed on the previous three patients, the “sacral anterior root electrical stimulation (SARS)” technique, which aims to restore bladder function, is more mature and stable. After implantation of this electrical stimulator through a posterior lumbosacral incision, nearly 100% of patients achieved controlled urination, solving the problem of urinary and fecal disorders in paraplegic patients. The stable efficacy of SARS has led to its worldwide application, and the President of the International Paralympic Committee, Mr. Philip Graven, who was paralyzed and incontinent at the age of 16 due to a rock climbing fall and thoracic spine injury, underwent SARS surgery in 1990. After more than 20 years of use, he feels that this bladder control system is very effective, allowing him to control his urination like a normal person, enabling him to travel around the world for long periods of time and be able to perform his official duties as the President of the International Paralympic Committee.