Recovery of supraspinal control of leg movement in a chronic complete flaccid paraplegic man after continuous low-frequency pelvic nerve stimulation and FES-assisted training.

INTRODUCTION

More than 30 years ago, functional electrical stimulation (FES) was developed as an orthotic system to be used for rehabilitation for SCI patients. In the present case report, FES-assisted training was combined with continuous low-frequency stimulation of the pelvic somatic nerves in a SCI patient.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report on unexpected findings in a 41-year-old man with chronic complete flaccid paraplegia, since he was 18 years old, who underwent spinal stem cell therapy and a laparoscopic implantation of neuroprosthesis (LION procedure) in the pelvic lumbosacral nerves. The patient had complete flaccid sensomotoric paraplegia T12 as a result of a motor vehicle accident in 1998. In June 2011, he underwent a laparoscopic implantation of stimulation electrodes to the sciatic and femoral nerves for continuous low-frequency electrical stimulation and functional electrical stimulation of the pelvic nerves. Neither intraoperative direct stimulation of the pelvic nerves nor postoperative stimulation induced any sensation or muscle reactions. After 2 years of passive continuous low-frequency stimulation, the patient developed progressive recovery of electrically assisted voluntary motor functions below the lesions: he was first able to extend the right knee and 6 months later, the left. He is currently capable of voluntary weight-bearing standing and walking (with voluntary knee movements) about 50 m with open cuff crutches and drop foot braces.

DISCUSSION

Our findings suggest that continuous low-frequency pelvic nerve stimulation in combination with FES-assisted training might induce changes that affect both the upper and the lower motor neuron and allow supra- and infra-spinal inputs to engage residual spinal and peripheral pathways.