Photo By David Overson | Dana Allen, a registered nurse and study coordinator (left/rear), and Autumn Latham,...... read more read more
ALBUQUERQUE – Mechanical suits are no surprise for some superheroes, but now Veterans at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are starting to look a little extra bionic these days too.
With help from Dana Allen, a registered nurse and study coordinator, along with Autumn Latham, an occupational therapist and ReWalk trainer, Veterans who are normally resigned to wheelchairs due to spinal cord injuries are donning exoskeleton suits, which literally allow them to walk once again.
Army Veteran Tyrone Scott, who suffered a spinal cord injury in the line of duty approximately six years ago, is one of the New Mexico VA Health Care System’s newest test subjects for the study.
“It’s very disheartening to have to sit down and watch your kids run and play,” said Scott. “Now with this suit I can see myself participating in some of those activities again. I can see myself walking in the park with my family and just enjoying activities that so many others take for granted.”
The study, with assistance from the VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP), allows selected Veterans to participate in a months-long study to see how well they adapt to using an exoskeleton suit and whether their day-to-day life would benefit from one.
To participate in the study a Veteran must meet the following criteria: be at least 18 years old; use a wheelchair for both indoor and outdoor mobility; weigh less than 220 pounds; be between five foot, three inches and six feet, three inches tall; be able to hold crutches in both hands without modifications; and have a companion who is able to attend approximately one-third of all the training sessions, along with a few other minor criteria.
In addition to the aforementioned, an extensive bone density test is administered to ensure the Veteran can withstand standing weight once again.
“You can never repay a Veteran for their service, but it feels good to be involved in a program that allows a wheelchair user the opportunity of upright mobility,” said Allen. “However, the downside is having to tell a Veteran that they do not meet inclusion criteria or that they have not passed the screening tests.”
The suit weighs approximately 65 pounds, but with its state-of-the-art power assist, that weight is significantly offset. The robotic exoskeleton provides a powered hip and knee motion to enable individuals to stand upright, walk, turn, and climb and descend stairs. The system allows independent, controlled walking while mimicking the natural gait pattern of the legs.
“The process of learning to walk with the device can be frustrating at times, but I hope that each Veteran feels a great sense of accomplishment for learning to use the new technology,” added Allen.
A wireless remote control on the wrist lets the user command the suit to stand up, sit down, or walk. But because of the tilt sensor, the exoskeleton will also function automatically based off the wearer's movements. So, if someone leans forward while sitting, the exoskeleton will bring them to stand. The suit’s movements are designed to mirror the regular pattern of walking, so the foot will hit the ground with the heel first, toes second.
“My hopes for each veteran at the end of their study period would be a new found meaning to their daily life, whether that be an improved body system, improved mental and/or physical health, or even the altruistic view that their participation in this study will lead to helping many more in the future with the data they provided,” said Latham. “Will every veteran after the study want their own exoskeleton? Maybe not, however, they are informed and educated on the possible benefits and are given the opportunity to be prescribed one by the VA contingent on their own choice. At the end of the study, I just hope every veteran’s experience with us is a positive one.”
The VA Cooperative Studies Program is part of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development. The award-winning and internationally recognized program is uniquely positioned to discover and deliver innovations in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of serious medical and health conditions.
CSP has performed more than 200 research studies that have influenced how physicians across the Nation in both private and VA facilities treat patients in areas that include cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infectious diseases, and mental health conditions.
Nancy Cutter, a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with the NMVAHCS at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Medical Center, is the site investigator for the study.
“This technology is in its infancy,” said Cutter. “With any technology or new medical treatment, we need to objectively understand the risks and benefits. We need to prove if it is helpful to patients or not, and if it is safe… and if it is helpful, who is it helpful for and who is it harmful for. It will go though many changes if it proves to be beneficial. And, as regenerative medicine begins to be applied to spinal cord injuries, the exoskeletons may prove to be an excellent rehabilitation tool as nerves are hopefully regenerated.”
Though there are a couple exoskeleton suit manufacturers in the world, VA has partnered with ReWalk, which received the first FDA approval for an exoskeleton suit in 2014.
Latham said in addition to the freedom of being able to walk again and overall quality of life, some of the potential direct benefits will improve body composition; decrease body fat and increase lean tissue; it may decrease the burden of bowel/bladder care; decrease bowel accidents and decrease time spent on a bowel program, and may result in weight loss.
The Raymond G Murphy VA Medical Center is just one of 14 facilities throughout the country to participate in this study, with a total 160 participants set nationally as the goal. Once the full study is complete with each individual Veteran, an exoskeleton suit may be prescribed to the Veteran at no cost.
“The Veterans in this study have sacrificed in the service of our country, and now are sacrificing a lot of time and energy to pursue the truth about this technology,” added Cutler. “Although it may help them as an individual, it will help all future Veterans with spinal cord injuries. That is noble. I am thankful that these Veterans are willing to participate in something that is for the greater good.”
Scott was adamant about the positive mindset this suit will bring to Veterans suffering from spinal cord injuries.
“When what happened to me first happened to me, I was very depressed,” added Scott. “I didn’t want to go out, I didn’t want to do anything. Thankfully I slowly overcame that, but I know there are a lot of Veterans with similar mindsets. ‘I can’t do anything, I can’t go anywhere.’ With this suit though, you can get up and get out of the house. You can take it to restaurants, ballparks, pretty much anywhere and enjoy life again. This will take you out of that depressed mindset of ‘My life is over, woe is me.’”
With an average cost of approximately $75,000.00 per suit, this study may seem too good to be true, but it is true. If you’re a Veteran who experienced a spinal cord injury and are resigned to a wheelchair and would like to explore this study opportunity, contact your local VA facility.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 09.03.2019 11:42 |
| Story ID: | 338181 |
| Location: | ALBUQUERQUE, NM, US |
| Web Views: | 520 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, VA’s Exoskeletal Program Changing Lives, by David Overson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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