Five years ago he had a motorcycle accident. He has been paralyzed since then, having suffered a ruptured spinal cord.
And now, thanks to an implant from Swiss scientists, he has been able to walk again.
Michel Roccati, according to a BBC report, managed to take his first steps.
It is the first time that someone with a total spinal cord rupture manages to walk again.
The same technology has improved the life of another paralyzed patient, who managed to become a father.
The study was published in the journal Nature Medecine. Roccati was very seriously injured. He could not feel anything from the waste down.
Scientists have surgically attached an electrical implant to the patient’s spine and he can now walk, which, according to the BBC, has not been achieved so far.
The researchers point out that there is no cure for spinal cord injury. The technology they have developed remains sophisticated to use in everyday life. However, it is still a big step in improving the quality of life.
The patient, however, considers technology “a gift for him,” as he told the BBC.
“I stand up, I walk where I want, I can walk up the stairs, it’s almost a normal life”.
In addition to technology, Michel’s recovery was also helped by his determination. The young Italian was determined to go on and on as much as he could.
“I liked boxing, running and do fitness programs. But after the accident, I could not do things I loved. However, I did not let it take me down. I never stopped the rehab. I wanted to solve the problem”, he said.
The speed of the young Italian’s recovery also impressed the neurosurgeon who introduced the implant, the professor of the Neurotherapy and Neuromodification Laboratory, Jocelyne Block.
“I was surprised. He is unbelievable. He must be able to use technology to progress and become better and better”.
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The study was supported by Dr Ram Hariharan, a consultant at Sheffield General Hospital, who works with the research team. “They achieved something that has never happened before” he said.
However, he clarified that more clinical trials are needed before it can be considered an effective treatment.
The spinal cord has been completely cut in Michel’s case. But the implant sends signals directly to his feet, allowing him to walk, but only when the implant is activated. So far, nine people have received the implant and regained the ability to walk. In any case, the implant is complicated at this stage to be used in everyday life, as they use it for practicing walking.
