title: Recovery of sensory and supraspinal control of leg movement in people with chronic paraplegia: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on unexpected findings in 4 patients with chronic paraplegia who underwent the laparoscopic implantation of neuroprosthesis procedure in the pelvic lumbosacral nerves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral unit specialized in advanced gynecological surgery and neuropelveology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients with incomplete American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) grade B (n=2) and AIS grade C (n=1) spinal cord injury (SCI) and 1 patient with flaccid complete chronic SCI (AIS grade A) (n=1).
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional electrical stimulation (FES)-assisted locomotor training and continuous low-frequency pelvic-lumbosacral neuromodulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Change in ASIA Lower Extremity Motor Scores, ASIA sensory scores for light touch and pinprick sensation, and Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 4 patients developed progressive recovery of some sensory and voluntary motor functions below the lesions. Three are currently capable of voluntary weight-bearing standing and walking a few meters with a walker without FES. The first patient with the longest follow-up is even capable of electrically assisted standing/walking with 2 crutches without braces or assistance for a distance of about 900 meters, and of weight-bearing standing and walking for 30 meters with a walker without stimulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We report unexpected sensory and locomotor recovery in 4 people with paraplegia with SCI. Our findings suggest that FES-assisted locomotor training with continuous low-frequency pelvic nerve stimulation in patients with SCI may induce changes that affect the central pattern generator and allow supra- and infraspinal inputs to engage residual spinal pathways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology & Neuropelveology, Hirslanden Clinic, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address: m.possover@isnp-gmbh.com.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Possover
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003446:Crutches; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000294:innervation; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D014853:Walkers; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Nerve system disease; Prothese and implants; Recovery of function; Rehabilitation; Self help devices; Spinal cord injuries