World’s First Dual-Electrode Spinal Cord Stimulation Implantation for Hemiplegia Treatment
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an emerging therapy for post-brain-injury hemiplegia. According to WHO data, over 15 million new cases of stroke and traumatic brain injury occur annually worldwide, with approximately 65% leading to hemiplegia; in China alone, more than 20 million patients suffer from this condition. Hemiplegia not only induces limb spasticity and joint contractures but also correlates with a high incidence of depression and anxiety (up to 72%). The Department of Neurosurgery has pioneered a dual-electrode SCS procedure that simultaneously modulates spasticity in both upper and lower limbs. By precisely implanting dual electrodes in the cervical and lumbar regions combined with intraoperative neuroelectrophysiological monitoring and postoperative personalized parameter adjustments, this approach significantly enhances motor rehabilitation. Validated as a global first by the National Health Commission’s technology review and acclaimed by Xinhua News Agency as a “paradigm-shifting technology in hemiplegia rehabilitation,” the procedure has been successfully performed 15 times. Postoperative medical costs and family care burdens have been markedly reduced. With expanding clinical applications and ongoing research, this innovation is poised to transform brain injury rehabilitation systems, offering advanced solutions for millions of hemiplegic patients annually.