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Implant Could Help Control Blood Pressure in Car Accident Victims with Spinal Injury

Persons who have suffered spinal injuries in car accidents or fall accidents may suffer from dangerous drops in their blood pressure.  A  new implant can help circumvent this problem.

A person who has suffered a spinal injury may suffer from dangerous drops in blood pressure when he tries to move from a sitting to a standing position.  In  such cases, the person may feel dizzy or nauseous when he moves or stands. In some cases, the person may even faint as a result of the drop in blood pressure.  An extremely severe drop in blood pressure can even have possibly fatal consequences.

The conservative approach to treating this  problem of dips in blood pressure in spinal injury victims has been to prescribe a high – salt diet or compression stockings.  However,  even with the use of such methodologies and aids, victims continue to complain of dizziness and other problems.

A group of researchers at the Cleveland Clinic have developed an implant called a neuroprosthetic barroflex that can deliver electrical impulses to spinal neurons which are responsible for blood pressure control.  These neurons are found in the lowest part of the spine, and this is the region targeted by the  electrical impulses.   The  researchers have tested the implant on persons who suffered from a spinal injury and suffered severe fainting spells when they tried to move or stand.  In  one case, they found that a woman who couldn’t stand for more than a few seconds at a time without suffering fainting spells, was able to actually walk several yards  after receiving the implant.

Spinal injuries are some of the most serious personal injuries in car accidents that can alter the quality of a person’s life.  These  injuries typically occur in severe accidents like multi -vehicle auto accidents, high speed and high -impact car accidents, trucking accidents as well as motorcycle and bicycle accidents.  Spinal  injuries are also commonly seen in slip and fall accidents.  There is no complete cure for a spinal injury, and treatment and management of symptoms may be the only course available to patients.  However,  there is continuous research going on in this field, especially emerging technologies that can help paralyzed patients gain some degree of  mobility and independence using specialized devices.

A  person  who has suffered a spinal  injury  may require not just medical treatment and hospitalization, but also long – term rehabilitation and therapy.  Circulatory problems are very common in spinal injury patients, and may result in blood clots like deep vein thrombosis. Partial  or complete paralysis may occur when a person has suffered a spinal injury, and  management of these symptoms will require the use of wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

The Atlanta car crash attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.  If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine if you have legal options to a claim for damages.   You may be eligible for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other types of damages.  Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case.

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