[Functional electrostimulation of paraplegic patients--1 year's practical application. Results in patients and experiences].

In October 1982 two patients suffering from paraplegia ware, world wide for the first time, implanted two 8-channel-stimulation-devices at the II. Surgical Clinics Vienna. Four electrodes were fixed to the nervus femoralis and the nervus gluteus inferior with the help of microsurgical techniques. The aim of the operation is to enable the paralysed patient to "stand up himself" and to "cover a short distance on crutches". They must learn to manipulate the implanted "more-channel-device" with their fingers, and to coordinate this with the supporting function and the balance function of their arms. The wheel-chair shall not and cannot be substituted with this method: Not without, but with wheel-chair and functional electrostimulation. A comprising training-programme for building up muscles, balance control and gait training was necessary. After 4 months muscle-force and endurance had increased 200%. The patients could stand up stimulatedly without help between parallel bars. At the rehabilitation center Bad Häring the first steps were done in March 1983 (= 5. month after operation). The greatest success was when a patient could get stimulatedly out of her car and do the through-swing-gait over a distance of 60 meters. After one year the muscle force was quadrupled, the endurance was increased 20-30 times, depending on the type of gait. Both patients are able to walk in the 4-P-gait or swing-through-gait on crutches over short distances without help from others. Riding a bicycle stimulatedly on even ground was demonstrated.