A BREAKTHROUGH THERAPY FOR
SPINAL CORD INJURIES GOT A BIG
BOO.
A GRANT WAS AWARDED TO THE
UNIVERSITY AND HCMC TO STUDY
THE SPINE.
ANGELA DAVIS TALKED TO A
NEUROSURGEON ABOUT THIS
PROCEDURE AND A TWIN CITIES
MOTHER WHO HAS A PERSONAL
CONNECTION.
IT'S SO OBVIOUS THAT THIS
EPIDURAL STIMULUS IMPLANT IS
THE WAY TO GO.
Reporter: LESLIE JABLONSKI
IS THE MOTHER OF JACK JABLONSKI
WHO HE CAME INJURIED SEVERAL
YEARS OWING.
THEY ARE LEARNING ABOUT
EPIDURAL SPINAL CORD
STIMULATION.
BODY TEMPERATURE REGULATION,
BOWEL, BLADDER, SEXUAL
FUNCTION, HAND MOVE M SOME
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE
STEPS AND PUT WEIGHT ON THEIR
FEET.
Reporter: SOON, DOCTORS AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND
HENNEPIN MEDICAL CENTER WILL BE
IMPLANTING THEM AND OBSERVING
THEM.
AN EPIDURAL STIMULATOR YOU
CAN PUT ANYWHERE IN THE SPINE,
BUT YOU DEFINITELY WITH THE
SPINAL CORD INJURY WANT TO PUT
IT BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE
INJURY.
Reporter: INSTEAD OF
DELIVERING ANESTHESIA, THIS
EPIDURAL WOULD DELIVER
ELECTRICITY TO EXCITE THE
NERVOUS SYSTEM.
NOT ONLY WILL IT IMPROVE
THEIR FUNCTION WHEN IT'S TURNED
ON, THE AMAZING THING IS AFTER
YOU HAVE THIS IMPLANTED FOR
AWHILE, WHEN YOU TURN IT OFF
AGAIN, YOU STILL HAVE SOME
IMPROVEMENT EXPRUF FUNCTION AND
THAT'S PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STATES
THAT FUND RESEARCH.
THE PLACES WHERE WE'RE SEEING
INNOVATION HAPPEN ARE IN THOSE
STATES WHERE THEY HAVE FUNDED
TO EXPEDITE IT.
NOW LAST YEAR THE MINNESOTA
LEGISLATURE APPROVED THE
FUNDING FOR THE RESEARCH GRANTS
WHICH ARE FOR SPINAL CORD AND
BRAIN INJURY.
IT'S $500,000 A YEAR DIVIDED
AMONG FOUR, SO $125,000 EACH.
THE MAYO CLINIC IS CONDUCTING A
STUDY AND THE MIRACLE
FOUNDATION IS OFFERING SUPPORT
TO THOSE STUDIES.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
FIVE TO 10 YEARS WE COULD BE
LOOKING AT A MUCH DIFFERENT
TREATMENT.
HOW IS JACK DOING.
HE'S GROWING UP.
I THINK HE'S 20, COLLEGE
STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA.
HIS MOM SAID HIS UPPER BODY
STRENGTH IS BEYOND WHAT THEY
EXPECTED.
HE CAN MOVE HIS AVERAGES --
ARMS AND FINGERS TO SOME
DEGREE.
HE CAN TEXT BUT NO LEG
MOVEMENT.
