Dr. J. Marc Simard, a professor of neurosurgery, pathology and physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, was excited about the success of the procedure.
"It's very important to caution that this applies only to those with spinal injuries far enough down on the spine that there are remnants of nerves that are still functional above the injury that can be tapped into," he noted.
"But, for these types of patients, this sounds perfectly reasonable and rational," Simard added, "based on the basic science work that's been going on for the last 25 years. And [it's] really a major step in the rehabilitation world."
More information
For more on spinal cord injuries, go to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
SOURCES: J. Marc Simard, M.D., professor, neurosurgery, pathology and physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore; Lewis Lane, M.D., chief, hand surgery, department of orthopaedic surgery, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, N.Y., and Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, N.Y.; Journal of Neurosurgery, May 15, 2012, news release
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