New Research Offers Promise for Spinal Cord Injury Patients

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana. Spinal cord injury can be a devastating diagnosis after an accident. Victims may no longer be able to walk or may lose sensation below the site of injury. Fortunately, recent developments in spinal cord injury treatment offer new promise for victims who suffer this serious and life-altering injury.

According to Medscape a new scaffold device that can be used in the hours and days after an injury occurs has been shown to help spinal cord injury patients see improvement. During the study, patients with complete spinal cord injury were taken into surgery and the scaffold device was put in place. Researchers found that 44% of the patients saw improvements from complete spinal cord injury, to incomplete spinal cord injury.

Complete spinal cord injury is very serious because it involves the total loss of sensation and motion below the site of injury. Incomplete spinal cord injury is also serious, but patients with incomplete injury may have sensation and some motion below the site of injury. This can have immense implications for patient’s quality of life. The study shows that the treatment that patients receive in the hours and days after their injury matters.

Other research has also shown promise for other spinal injury patients. A recent study has found that stimulation of the spine has resulted in patients regaining motion and sensation, according to HospiMedica. Patients who underwent medical trials of spinal cord stimulation were able to increase their grip strength by approximately 325%.

While earlier thought was that stimulation benefitted newly paralyzed patients, the researchers found that patients who had been paralyzed for over a year also benefitted. The goal was to increase patient’s quality of life and independence.

The kind of rehabilitation and care a patient receives after suffering a serious injury like spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury can have a major impact on quality of life and independence after injury. Patients who receive proper rehabilitation generally see better outcomes. Having personalized attention from nursing staff, physicians, and therapists can make a big difference in patient outcomes. Rehabilitation following spinal cord injury involves a team of licensed and specialized doctors and therapists. This treatment can be incredibly costly. The cost of spinal cord injury in the first year alone can be as much as $1 million. So, what can families do to ensure that their loved ones receive the best possible care and cutting edge treatment?

If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury in New Orleans, Louisiana, consider speaking to the spinal cord injury lawyers at the The Bowling Law Firm. Our attorneys can review the factors leading up to your accident, identify negligent parties, and fight to help you receive the maximum recovery possible under the law so that you can receive the care you need. Visit us at http://www.lawbowling.com/ to learn more.

The Bowling Law Firm, A Professional Law Corporation

1615 Poydras Street, Suite 1050

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112

Phone: (504) 586-5200

Toll Free: (504) 586-5200