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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Implant gives hand control nine years after stroke | Implant gives hand control nine years after stroke |
| (2 months later) | |
| Heather Rendulic having the first steak she cut up herself since before her stroke | Heather Rendulic having the first steak she cut up herself since before her stroke |
| Electrically stimulating the spinal cord instantly restores some ability to control the arm and hands in people who have had a stroke, US researchers say. | Electrically stimulating the spinal cord instantly restores some ability to control the arm and hands in people who have had a stroke, US researchers say. |
| Heather Rendulic, from Pittsburgh, was able to cut and eat a steak by herself for the first time in nine years. | Heather Rendulic, from Pittsburgh, was able to cut and eat a steak by herself for the first time in nine years. |
| She said the technology was "nothing short of amazing". | She said the technology was "nothing short of amazing". |
| The University of Pittsburgh team say more research is needed to see who can benefit, as the spinal implants have been tested in only two people. | The University of Pittsburgh team say more research is needed to see who can benefit, as the spinal implants have been tested in only two people. |
| Strokes disrupt the blood supply in the brain and lead to brain cells dying. This often leaves those that survive with long-term health problems. | Strokes disrupt the blood supply in the brain and lead to brain cells dying. This often leaves those that survive with long-term health problems. |
| People can retain the desire and intent to move but the instructions from the brain become so weak nothing happens. | People can retain the desire and intent to move but the instructions from the brain become so weak nothing happens. |
| Never recovered | Never recovered |
| When Heather was in her early 20s, she was diagnosed with a cluster of abnormal blood vessels in her brain - a cavernous angioma. It bled multiple times and led to a large stroke. One morning, she woke up unable to move the left side of her body. | When Heather was in her early 20s, she was diagnosed with a cluster of abnormal blood vessels in her brain - a cavernous angioma. It bled multiple times and led to a large stroke. One morning, she woke up unable to move the left side of her body. |
| In the nine years that followed, Heather learned to walk again but control of her left arm and hand never recovered - "something I struggle with every day". Even the simplest tasks, such as putting on shoes, became a challenge. | In the nine years that followed, Heather learned to walk again but control of her left arm and hand never recovered - "something I struggle with every day". Even the simplest tasks, such as putting on shoes, became a challenge. |
| Before having the procedure, Heather's goal was "to be able to cut a piece of steak", as she relied on her husband to do it. | Before having the procedure, Heather's goal was "to be able to cut a piece of steak", as she relied on her husband to do it. |
| Heather had an implant surgically placed to stimulate her nerves | Heather had an implant surgically placed to stimulate her nerves |
| Heather had electrodes implanted in her neck so parts of her spinal cord could be stimulated. | Heather had electrodes implanted in her neck so parts of her spinal cord could be stimulated. |
| The nervous system communicates with electricity - but after Heather's stroke, the electrical signals travelling from her brain were too weak to activate the nerves controlling her arm and hand movements. | The nervous system communicates with electricity - but after Heather's stroke, the electrical signals travelling from her brain were too weak to activate the nerves controlling her arm and hand movements. |
| Stimulation excites the nerves so they are already itching to respond - and now, those weak messages are enough to trigger movement. | Stimulation excites the nerves so they are already itching to respond - and now, those weak messages are enough to trigger movement. |
| It worked on the first day and Heather was able to open and close her hand for the first time in nine years. | It worked on the first day and Heather was able to open and close her hand for the first time in nine years. |
| 'Started crying' | 'Started crying' |
| "Nobody was expecting it would work that fast," Dr Marco Capogrosso, from the University of Pittsburgh, told me. | "Nobody was expecting it would work that fast," Dr Marco Capogrosso, from the University of Pittsburgh, told me. |
| "She started crying, the family was there and they started crying and then all of us started crying, so it was a very, very emotional moment." | "She started crying, the family was there and they started crying and then all of us started crying, so it was a very, very emotional moment." |
| Heather was "moving my arm and hand in ways I haven't for almost a decade". | Heather was "moving my arm and hand in ways I haven't for almost a decade". |
| And she got her steak. | And she got her steak. |
| The details, published in the journal Nature Medicine, showed the device worked in Heather and one other volunteer. However, the experiment was designed to last for only a month - after which, the electrodes were removed and the beneficial stimulation was gone. | The details, published in the journal Nature Medicine, showed the device worked in Heather and one other volunteer. However, the experiment was designed to last for only a month - after which, the electrodes were removed and the beneficial stimulation was gone. |
| But the researchers say the results give a glimpse into the future, where implants could make meaningful differences to people's lives. | But the researchers say the results give a glimpse into the future, where implants could make meaningful differences to people's lives. |
| Dr Marco Capogrosso told me: "Our patients recover but they don't become completely normal. | Dr Marco Capogrosso told me: "Our patients recover but they don't become completely normal. |
| "They can recover a lot of independence and a lot of quality of life, just because they can use their arm and hand now, even though they probably cannot play the piano." | "They can recover a lot of independence and a lot of quality of life, just because they can use their arm and hand now, even though they probably cannot play the piano." |
| The team believe the field could advance quickly as they are using technologies already approved for managing severe pain. | The team believe the field could advance quickly as they are using technologies already approved for managing severe pain. |
| But for now, it will take more clinical trials to work out who benefits and how to move the equipment from the laboratory to the home. | But for now, it will take more clinical trials to work out who benefits and how to move the equipment from the laboratory to the home. |
| Dr Rubina Ahmed from the Stroke Association said: "The research is still in the early stages and surgical implants may not be suitable for everyone. Non-invasive stimulation methods are also being tested which could be used by a wider range of people." | Dr Rubina Ahmed from the Stroke Association said: "The research is still in the early stages and surgical implants may not be suitable for everyone. Non-invasive stimulation methods are also being tested which could be used by a wider range of people." |
| Follow James on Twitter. | Follow James on Twitter. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Medical research | Medical research |
| Health | |
| Paralysis | Paralysis |
| James Gallagher | James Gallagher |
| Strokes | Strokes |