Not Just A Few Steps But A Great Leap Forward?

[sandyRoe]

This man, who had been paralysed for years, is taking his first tottering steps. Wouldn't it be great if the paralysis caused by spinal injuries ceased to the life sentence of immobility that it once was?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-29645760

[janbee]

I saw this on the news. Wow, what an amazing achievement. Well done to the skill of the surgeon

[janbee]

One small step for man, several giant steps for mankind.

[sandyRoe]

That post ^was just right in catching the spirit of this story.

[Old_Geezer]

I, too, was most impressed when I first saw this news item. It has been a long time coming. Let's hope it is repeatable and proves a fairly simple procedure.

[janbee]

Sandy, thank you for the bestie xx
It's a great story and I hope we hear more about these operations over the coming years.

[Svejk]

He should be good at running.

[sandyRoe]

Give him time. He'll need to learn to walk again before he can run.

[Old_Geezer]

Well I understand noses run in his family.

[marval]

That is really good, it must give hope to many others.

[Sqad]

Well deserved Best Answer..........

Yes ...a step forward............that is it at the moment.

"Harvesting" cells from the Olfactory Bulb is not that easy and does involve opening the skull.

In this case the spinal cord was not completely transected in that there was a "bridge" for the transplanted cells. Will it work with complete transection?

Yes........a small step......but don't lets go over the top here.

A greater hope on these lines is for neurological or muscle wasting disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or other Motor Neurone Disorders.