In China, a 12-year-old Russian girl began taking steps with an assistive device — ECNS
In the Chinese city of Hangzhou, a 12-year-old girl from Russia who had paralysis of her lower limbs after a car accident began voluntarily taking steps with an assistive device following treatment using a spinal cord neurointerface. ECNS reports.
Treatment in Hangzhou
The girl, named Vera, was hospitalized in April 2026 at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. A neurological examination identified severe but incomplete damage to the spinal cord’s neural pathways, making her eligible for this treatment.
The Chinese-developed system used is a closed-loop spinal cord neurointerface. It includes implanted stimulation electrodes and a wireless rechargeable pulse generator. According to the outlet, the technology does not replace brain commands but amplifies weakened neural signals, helping them pass through the damaged section of the spinal cord and activate lower-limb muscles.
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Rehabilitation after surgery
The rehabilitation program combined electrical stimulation with targeted motor exercises. Artificial intelligence algorithms were used to adjust stimulation parameters in line with changes in the patient’s condition.
One month after the surgery, Vera could stand steadily with support and also experienced improved sensation in her feet. After three months of rehabilitation, she began voluntarily taking steps with an assistive device. ECNS calls her the first foreign patient in China with a severe spinal cord injury to achieve voluntary steps with this technology.
