"Superman” Making Medically Impossible Recovery

The American actor Christopher Reeve, known for his film portrayals of Superman, has recently demonstrated some signs of recovery, which many doctors thought impossible after a traumatic spinal cord injury seven years ago. This progress was reported in the September 2002 issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine.

In a riding accident in 1955, Mr. Reeve fell from his horse and landed on his head. As a result, he was paralyzed from the neck down and could not breathe without assisted ventilation. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed severe injury at the C-2 level that had left a central fluid-filled cyst surrounded by a narrow donut-like rim of white matter. His condition was classified as C-2 ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) Grade A. During the following five years, he experienced no substantial recovery.

In 1999, an "activity-based” recovery program was begun, designed by doctors at the Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis, USA). This program involved rigorous exercise and weights for four to five hours a day. As a result of this program, Mr. Reeve's condition has improved from ASIA Grade A to ASIA Grade C. Motor scores and sensory scores have risen dramatically. Today he can move his joints a little, wiggle his fingers, and move his toes. Moreover, he can now feel sensation on 70% of his body. Using electromyography, the study's authors documented voluntary control over important muscle groups. Reversal of osteoporosis and an increase in muscle mass was associated with this recovery. Spasticity decreased, the incidence of medical complications fell dramatically, and the incidence of infections and use of antibiotic medications was reduced by over 90%.

The authors note that this demonstrates not only that substantial recovery of function is possible in a patient with severe C-2 ASIA Grade A injury, long after the initial injury, but that less severely injured individuals might achieve even more meaningful recovery.




Related Links:
Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine