Paralyzed Canadian man moves legs after experimental surgery in Thailand

[webfact]

Paralyzed Humboldt Broncos player moves legs after experimental surgery in Thailand

Joel Dryden · CBC News

 

Ryan Straschnitzki was one of 13 players injured when a truck driver blew through a stop sign and into the path of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team's bus in Saskatchewan. Sixteen others died. (Twitter)

 

A hockey player from Alberta who was paralyzed in last year's Humboldt Broncos bus crash has begun moving his legs after receiving experimental spinal surgery in Thailand — nearly kicking his therapist and asking if he could hit the gym.

 

Ryan Straschnitzki, a 20-year-old from Airdrie, Alta., was one of 13 junior hockey team players injured when a truck driver blew through a stop sign and collided with the Saskatchewan team's bus, killing 16 others in April 2018.

 

Straschnitzki was paralyzed from the chest down. 

 

On Monday, doctors in Thailand implanted an epidural stimulator in Straschnitzki's spine in the hope that it could restore some movement in his legs.

 

With the use of a small device like a remote control, the implant sends electrical currents to the spinal cord to stimulate nerves and move his limbs, bypassing traditional pathways.

 

 

Full story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/ryan-straschnitzki-ryan-humboldt-broncos-thailand-airdrie-1.5350117

 

-- CNBC 2019-11-08

 

 

 

[RotBenz8888]

Good work! Hope he recovers further. Never give up!

Edited November 8, 2019 by RotBenz8888

[colinneil]

Best of luck for the future Ryan, hope you can progress and hopefully walk again.

Best foot forward mate, onwards and upwards.

I more than most can understand what its like to be unable to move, myself paralyzed from the chest down.

Sadly i am to old for similar treatment.

[MadMuhammad]

Fantastic!! So happy for him. Until people lose the loss of a limb they can never truly understand the sense of loss and fear that comes with it. 
keep up the good work Ryan! Have faith in your body and it will respond in time 

[Thaiwrath]

A real plus for medical specialists and doctors in Thailand, who, contrary to what some TV posters think, can be as good as specialists and doctors in other, supposed more affluent first world countries.

[mok199]

Prairie boys are tough as nails....good luck young man

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

15 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

A real plus for medical specialists and doctors in Thailand, who, contrary to what some TV posters think, can be as good as specialists and doctors in other, supposed more affluent first world countries.

 

In support of that notion, a friend had both knees replaced at Bangkok Hospital by a Canadian-trained Thai doctor. The surgery was a great success and my friend sings praises of his surgeon, a young fellow too.

[pegman]

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

Prairie boys are tough as nails....good luck young man

We sure are, especially those of us who grew up playing hockey.  What happened to that team was a needless tragedy.  A lesson on the results of  regulation and government offloading. Similar to the Boeing 737-MAX. Privatizing heavy truck driver licensing to private companies that can be prone to malfeasance  has consequences. The Go-Fund-Me  campaign for the team brought in $15m in a short period of time.  His operation and rehab in Bangkok will cost $125,000. Not sure if the fund or government Medicare will cover the cost. 

 

 

[pegman]

1 hour ago, Thaiwrath said:

A real plus for medical specialists and doctors in Thailand, who, contrary to what some TV posters think, can be as good as specialists and doctors in other, supposed more affluent first world countries.

 I remember reading this article sometime ago and telling my nephew, who is a med school student, that three of the top 14 technically advanced hospitals in the world are in Bangkok. Really amazing if you think of it. 

 

https://www.topmastersinhealthcare.com/30-most-technologically-advanced-hospitals-in-the-world/

[justin case]

will this be the latest thai invention or just farang technology implanted into a patient here...

[CharlieH]

An insensitive and inappropriate remark and subsequent responses have been removed.

[Mavideol]

7 hours ago, colinneil said:

Best of luck for the future Ryan, hope you can progress and hopefully walk again.

Best foot forward mate, onwards and upwards.

I more than most can understand what its like to be unable to move, myself paralyzed from the chest down.

Sadly i am to old for similar treatment.

never too old mate...

[maxcorrigan]

38 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

never too old mate...

Yes but in Colin's case the muscles stop functioning after years of no use i would think, not that i'm know anything medical just an opinion, maybe i'm wrong hopefully!

[atyclb]

9 minutes ago, maxcorrigan said:

Yes but in Colin's case the muscles stop functioning after years of no use i would think, not that i'm know anything medical just an opinion, maybe i'm wrong hopefully!

 

muscles technically do not stop functioning in spinal injury, its just that the electrical impulses that cause the muscles to move no longer arrive.  muscles can be stimulated though by alternate sources of electricity to try to decrease atrophy in the interim hoping a solution is found in the future

[atyclb]

6 hours ago, pegman said:

8 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

A real plus for medical specialists and doctors in Thailand, who, contrary to what some TV posters think, can be as good as specialists and doctors in other, supposed more affluent first world countries.

 I remember reading this article sometime ago and telling my nephew, who is a med school student, that three of the top 14 technically advanced hospitals in the world are in Bangkok. Really amazing if you think of it. 

 

https://www.topmastersinhealthcare.com/30-most-technologically-advanced-hospitals-in-the-world/

 

take that list with a grain of salt as technologically advanced in thailands case refers to technology developed elsewhere. seems  a lot of centers that should be on that list are not. research in thailands tends to be done jointly with other countries that develop and innovate but may have cumbersome fda rules. original innovation and research is not abundant in thailand. thailand does have some very competent practitioners though.

[atyclb]

snippet from . https://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/int/en/news/a-history-of-epidural-stimulation-3074/

 
1965

Two professors, Prof. Melzack of Canada and Prof. Wal of the USA, come up with the gate control theory. This explores the ideas that pain signals can be managed and reduced if certain stimuli are applied to the spinal cord.

 

1969

Prof. Grillner in Sweden discovers a network of nerves in the spine – the spinal locomotion centre – that control movement.

 

1971

At the Gundersen Clinic in the USA, Prof. Shealy implants the first epidural spinal cord stimulator to treat chronic pain.

 

1981

Sweden’s Prof. Grillner presents the structure and function of the spinal locomotion centre and names it the central pattern generator (CPG).

 

1987

In Canada, Prof. Rossignol finds that paralysed cats, given the right sensory stimuli on the CPG, can get up and walk again.

1992

Share this quote
 
A clinical practice run by Prof. Wernig in Bonn, Germany, discovers that intense movement training improves the ability of patients with incomplete paralysis to walk.

Share this quote
 
1994

CPG looks like it will actually work when Prof. Calancie in the USA sees hyperextension of the hips trigger a walking movement in a patient with chronic spinal cord injury.

 

1998

Prof. Dimitrijevic in Houston, USA, for the first time ever, uses an an epidural stimulator with a completely paralysed patient. It triggers rhythmic leg movements that the patient has no control over.

 

2004

Wings for Life joins the mission to find a cure for spinal cord injury. In one of the first projects sponsored by Wings for Life, research in Vienna by Prof. Dimitrijevic and Prof. Kern shows that epidural stimulation also changes muscle response in the legs.

 

2006

Canada’s Prof. Rossignol works out that sensory response to the CPG means patients could change their movements to suit the environment, so they can avoid obstacles and adapt to an uneven surface.

 

2009

In Switzerland, under Prof. Courtine, paralysed rats can make relatively coordinated walking movements and support their own bodyweight under epidural stimulation.

 

2011

Prof. Harkema helps a patient with complete motor paralysis and partial sensory paralysis regain voluntary movement after seven months of epidural stimulation treatment and training to help them stand.

2014

Share this quote
 
Prof. Harkema’s experimental combined therapy helps three more of her patients, and even sees improvements to the patients’ autonomic nervous system.  

Share this quote
 
2015

Profs. Lacour and Courtine in Switzerland develop a flexible stimulator – the e-Dura – made of soft polymers and malleable gold. The e-Dura doesn’t just adapt to the shape and movement of the spinal cord; it can also release pharmacological substances locally.

 

2016

The Big Idea – a clinical research project involving 36 patients – starts early in the year headed by Prof. Harkema.

[bwpage3]

You need to look at the source.

 

Welcome to Top Master's in Healthcare Administration, your #1 trusted resource for finding the latest up-to-date and easy-to-understand information about receiving a degree related to healthcare management.

[atyclb]

57 minutes ago, bwpage3 said:

You need to look at the source.

 

Welcome to Top Master's in Healthcare Administration, your #1 trusted resource for finding the latest up-to-date and easy-to-understand information about receiving a degree related to healthcare management.

 

yup, noted that

[Dumbastheycome]

1 hour ago, atyclb said:

 

muscles technically do not stop functioning in spinal injury, its just that the electrical impulses that cause the muscles to move no longer arrive.  muscles can be stimulated though by alternate sources of electricity to try to decrease atrophy in the interim hoping a solution is found in the future

Unfortunately it is  not so simplistic. Without  the  electro impulses muscles atrophy with the exception of those  that are  involuntarily  stimulated.  Or  artificially  stimulated via  regular  artificial  stimulation.

Any  interface that can be introduced that  gives an individual  any degree of  self induced  muscular  stimulation is an amazing  advancement  even if it falls short  of   full control.

The  majority  who are probably unaware  of the issues is that it is  not  just  muscular  atrophy but  skeletal (bone/ joints) are as  much an issue.

I was involved  in the  whole  gambit of the issues  of   both   congenital  and accidental spinal trauma for  22 years . On  both sides  there  are issues that  the  vast  majority  have  no  real  perceptions of.

But  for those who are and remain cognitive  victims of  then  any who  can be provided  any  degree of real improvement  of self  function I would  applaud that provision.

That this is  being  heralded in Thailand  should never never be  viewed in some derogative manner.

That  the  surgeons  may have been  trained  and educated  in the  gutless  west that  declines innovation for  fear of   legal suits  for  failure in the same  way  treatments  for  terminal cancers are  with held  for  fear of  "side  effects"  gives me  cause  to  congratulate  the Thai initiatives.

This  sort of   issue always  brings  me back to the  question: " who  qualified the  first specialist  surgeon?'.

[pegman]

New interview from hospital.

 

 

[josephbloggs]

20 hours ago, justin case said:

will this be the latest thai invention or just farang technology implanted into a patient here...

Sad sad man.  You really need to hear that it is a foreign invention, or foreign technology, to justify your bitter little life and misplaced feeling of superiority over Thais.  How utterly shameful and pathetic.

[DrTuner]

How many degrees can he move his legs? Need lottery numbers, khopkhuncrap.

[Catoni]

Best wishes to him. I hope the procedures eventually give him back full use of his body. Good luck. ???? 

[Catoni]

On 11/8/2019 at 2:51 AM, justin case said:

will this be the latest thai invention or just farang technology implanted into a patient here...

Who the h_ll cares?? Does it really matter??   Why?

Edited November 9, 2019 by Catoni
Addition

[atyclb]

7 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

On 11/8/2019 at 2:51 PM, justin case said:

will this be the latest thai invention or just farang technology implanted into a patient here...

Sad sad man.  You really need to hear that it is a foreign invention, or foreign technology, to justify your bitter little life and misplaced feeling of superiority over Thais.  How utterly shameful and pathetic.

 

as we have read multiple news reports coming from thai medical facilities such as "ebola cure". etc etc it is not unreasonable to wonder about the origin of a procedure or technology. unless you have known a person personally over time it is reaching to say they have a "bitter little life" or feel superior to thais.

 

also would be very interested in where he had this surgery. a university hospital where there is bonafide interest in development and learning or a business driven hospital where they add procedures primarily to drive profit.

 

 

what is also lacking in the story but very important is an interview or a few words from the doctor that did it speaking about realistic results and % improvement / return of function in prior patients and not just sensationalism.

Edited November 9, 2019 by atyclb

[pegman]

4 hours ago, atyclb said:

 

as we have read multiple news reports coming from thai medical facilities such as "ebola cure". etc etc it is not unreasonable to wonder about the origin of a procedure or technology. unless you have known a person personally over time it is reaching to say they have a "bitter little life" or feel superior to thais.

 

also would be very interested in where he had this surgery. a university hospital where there is bonafide interest in development and learning or a business driven hospital where they add procedures primarily to drive profit.

 

 

what is also lacking in the story but very important is an interview or a few words from the doctor that did it speaking about realistic results and % improvement / return of function in prior patients and not just sensationalism.

This has the doctor who had the same procedure done to him and recommended it to the hockey player.

 

 

[madmen]

On 11/8/2019 at 2:51 PM, justin case said:

will this be the latest thai invention or just farang technology implanted into a patient here...

The first thai basher appears quickly as usual. Absolute proof that the lowest of the low are drawn to thailand like a moth to the flame

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Skallywag]

I am confused, 2 different guys in 2 different videos. 

Both are having other people move their legs is how I see it.

Never saw either of them move their legs on their own? 

Wish them well, and hopefully this electrical impulse thing will help them in the future 

[bendejo]

Always good to hear stories of recovery like this.

Just don't take off the amulets, Ryan.

 

 

[Prairieboy]

I wish him every success.  Much to be said for proper training of drivers and Canadian laws have toughened, making it much more difficult to get licensed to drive 'big rigs'.