Swiss scientists announced Friday, January 9, that they created the e-Dura neuroprosthetic implant, a flexible device that can be attached to the spinal cord to help the paralyzed move again. There are devices out there that have similar functions: sending electrical signals to the spine. However, these are stiff, rigid devices that rub against nerve tissues when it stretches. This causes inflammation and scar tissue buildup that leads to rejection of the device. The team under Stéphanie Lacour and Grégoire Courtine from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne) were able to create an implant that can be placed directly on the spinal cord, with elasticity similar to the living tissue that will surround it, reducing friction and inflammation.
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