New device helps paraplegics regain partial use of hands

AFP | Paris, France

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More than 40 people suffering from paralysis from the neck down regained partial control of their arms and hands thanks to a relatively simple to use device, a large study said Monday.

The trial raised hopes that the non-invasive device could be help people with spinal injuries get back the all-important use of their hands. The device, developed by Swiss medical technology firm Onward, delivers an electrical current through electrodes placed on the skin of paralysed patients near where their spinal cord was damaged.

After two months of therapy, 43 of the 60 people participating in the trial regained strength and ability to use their arms and hands, according to the study in the journal Nature Medicine.

“I think it could be life-changing for the majority of people with spinal cord injury,” lead study author US neuroscientist Chet Moritz told a press conference.

The field has seen a number of leaps forward in recent years, with electrical stimulation of the spinal cord allowing several patients to regain the ability to walk