Paraplegia quite challenging at first for those with a spinal cord injury (SCI). With the aid of physiotherapists and occupational therapists, individuals with an SCI can learn new skills and adapt previous ones to maximize independence, often living independently within the community. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC) have been transplanted with success into the spinal cord of Polish man named Darek Fidyka, who was the victim of a knife attack that left him paraplegic in 2010. In 2014, Fidyka underwent pioneering spinal surgery that used nerve grafts, from his ankle, to 'bridge the gap' in his severed spinal cord and OEC's to
Tethered spinal cord syndrome deficits are generally irreversible, early surgery is recommended when symptoms begin to worsen. In children, early surgery is recommended to prevent further neurological deterioration, including but not limited to chronic urinary incontinence. In adults, surgery to detether (free) the spinal cord can reduce the size and further development of cysts in the cord and may restore some function or alleviate other symptoms. Although detethering is the common surgical approach to TCS, another surgical option for adults is a spine-shortening vertebral osteotomy. A vertebral osteotomy aims to indirectly relieve the excess tension on the spinal cord by removing a portion of