A research team led by Western Sydney University, Professor Antonio Lauto, has achieved a world-first scientific breakthrough by regenerating injured peripheral nerves with minimal side effects, giving patients with chronic pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and spinal cord injury new hope.
In contrast to conventional electrical nerve stimulations that have low success rates and may cause scarring and inflammation, the new ‘graft-antenna’ is an innovative and minimally-invasive device that functions as both a wireless stimulator and biodegradable scaffold for nerve repair.
Researcher Giuseppe Tettamanzi from Adelaide University collaborated in the development of the devise and told SBS "The backbone in many cases is not repairable. When the article on the research was published, for the first time in my life I started receiving calls from happy people who said to me: this therapy could save this or that member of my family or friend".
