spinal cord[/caption]Barry Goen----Spinal cord injuries can be devastating to function. Thousands of people suffer from a spinal cord injury each year that can impact their everyday functions without assistance. This often creates an extra burden on the injured individual and family, but a new device is helping to ease the practical challenges that patients face every day. Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom have developed a technology that allows those with spinal cord injuries to regain control of their bladders. This may seem like a small part of the problem, however it can create serious difficulties for those with spinal cord injuries who must rely on others to help with toileting and often get infections or lose kidney function because of the backup of urine and the inability to empty it.
When a person's spinal cord is injured the neural pathway between the bladder and the brain cam be damaged making it virtually impossible for the patient to recognize when the bladder is full and empty it.
A new neuroprosthetic device announced by the Cambridge researchers in a recent press release put out by a law office, tracks the electrical signals when the bladder is filling with urine. This can prompt the emptying of the bladder through the use of electrical stimulation. It is still years away from being available to the public, however there is optimism that when it is available that it will help patients regain some measure of independence.
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