Surgery Helps Paralysis Patients Walk Again

Dr. Justin Brown, a neurosurgeon in San Diego, is helping patients suffering from paralysis walk again!

Most recently, he helped Rick Constantine, 58, who, following a car crash had a brain stem stroke which resulted in paralysis of the right side of the body. He was told that he would never be able to walk again. He tried physical therapy but that gave him unsubstantial benefits.

The surgery that Dr. Brown performed on Rick is called a selective peripheral neurotomy and is done under a microscope. Essentially, this surgery trims the troublesome nerve branch by up to 80 percent, thus reducing the amount of “noise” being sent back to the spinal cord. The noise is what causes the spasticity.

Rehabilitation can begin 72 hours after the procedure. Rick was walking without a walker two weeks after the procedure and even finished a 1 mile race without any assistance.

Watch the video to see what Dr. Brown’s patients are saying about their experiences. Dr. Brown also explains the surgery in great technical detail.