Restoring Hand Function To a Quadriplegic Patient
Doctors were able to restore this 71 year old man’s finger motor function which he had previously lost due to spinal cord damage from a car accident in 2008. They were able to do this by replacing the damaged nerve in his C7 vertebrae, which had been crushed, so the connection between the fingers and brain was restored.
The technique relies on taking ‘sacrificial’ nerves from other parts of the body which in this case was in the elbow and, as a result, the patient has to retrain their brain to pinch with the nerve that used to bend their elbow. Although this surgery would be unsuccessful for patients with injuries higher up on the spinal cord, it is a relatively simple procedure and could be carried out by other surgeons.
Source: medicaldaily.com
In-between examinations, learning calculus and wanting to get Diablo III, ‘time management’ becomes a very sketchy concept…
Here we go, Day 1 of GCSEs!

“The only things you HAVE to know are how to make enough of a living to stay alive and how to get your taxes done. All the fun parts of life are optional.”
Source: xkcd.com



