Epidural Stimulation

Epidural stimulation approach

Electrostimulation over the last decades has become one of the most promising fields regarding spinal cord recovery. The main mechanics behind it is neuromodulation - so the ability of the Central Nervous System (CMS) to restructure and make more and better connections again within the spinal cord as well as in the brain.

Epidural spinal stimulation (or just epidural stimulation) is a subcategory of Electrical Stimulation (ES) where mostly the lumbar region of the spine is targeted to make this neuroplasticity happen. To say it more precisely it is actually targeting the CPG’s in the lumbar spine region which often leads to more activity of the lower extremities.

Important to know at the moment for all epidural stimulation technologies there has to be a surgery done by a neurosurgeon. It is not a big deal in our opinion compared to what in most cases already had done to our spinal cord - but still it is a surgery, and might need a narcosis and therefore there is always a small risk to consider.

Neuromodulation by using Epidural Stimulation

Neurostimulation works by modulating the spinal cord circuitries. In case of Epidural stimulation an electrode array (padel) is placed internally (inversive) in the lumbar region of the spine, to be precise on top of the Dura of the Spinal Cord in the space between the spinal cord itself and the Vertebrates in the Lumbar segments of the spine. An additional electrical pulse Generator (IPG) which is producing the current for the electrode array is placed in the belly region inversely.

CPG = Central Pattern Generator

There are many CPGs in the body - for example CPG for walking is around L1 and L2.

Central pattern generators ( CPGs) are biological neural circuits that produce rhythmic outputs in the absence of rhythmic input. They are the source of the tightly-coupled patterns of neural activity that drive rhythmic and stereotyped motor behaviors like walking, swimming, breathing, or chewing.

Please have a look into the following chapters for additional information on this topic:

Onward Epidural Stimulation E-STAND Minnesota Epidural Stimulation University of Louisville Epidural Stimulation