Reviewing Breakthroughs and Limitations of Implantable and External Medical Device Treatments for Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a major disability that, to this day, does not have a permanent cure. The spinal cord extends caudally through the body structure of the vertebral column and is part of the central nervous system (CNS). The spinal cord enables neural communication and motor coordination, so injuries can disrupt sensation, movement, and autonomic functions. Mechanical and traumatic damage to the spinal cord causes lesions to the nerves, resulting in the disruption of relayed messages to the extremities. Various forms of treatment for the spinal cord include functional electrical stimulation (FES), epidural electrical stimulation (EES), ‘SMART’ devices, exoskeleton and robotic systems, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and neuroprostheses using AI for the brain–computer interface. This research is going to analyse and review these current treatment methods for spinal cord injury and identify the current gaps and limitations in these, such as long-term biocompatibility, wireless adaptability, cost, regulatory barriers, and risk of surgery. Future advancements should work on implementing wireless data logging with AI algorithms to increase SCI device adaptability, as well as maintaining regulatory and health system integration.