Home / Health / Teen Foot Agony Ends With Spinal Implant
Teen Foot Agony Ends With Spinal Implant
23 Jul
Summary
- Teenager's chronic foot pain resolved by spinal cord implant.
- Implant disrupts erroneous nerve signals causing severe pain.
- Procedure used on adults previously, now successful for teen.
A teenager has experienced life-changing relief from severe foot pain after undergoing a pioneering procedure. Ralph Seed, 18, had been suffering from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) for five years, a condition so agonizing he considered amputation. The slightest touch was excruciating, and he was unable to walk.
Surgeons at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary implanted a pain-relieving device into his spinal cord. This implant, previously only used on adults in the UK, disrupts incorrect nerve signals by delivering small electrical pulses to the spinal cord via a tiny battery under the skin.
Experts describe the technology as a 'closed loop' system, capable of adapting to the patient's movement and using the body's own signals to modify stimulation. This innovative approach offers new hope for individuals with CRPS, a condition where nerves misfire, sending severe pain signals.
