University College London Hospitals NHS Trust has shared details of successful implant surgery aimed at enabling patients to control a computer through their thoughts, as part of their involvement in Neuralink’s GB-PRIME study.
The study is designed to assess the “safety and functionality of Neuralink’s robotically implanted brain-computer interface, which aims to improve independence for people who are paralysed”. In line with this, a patient at UCLH’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery has undergone implant surgery and can now use the brain-computer interface to move a computer cursor with their thoughts.
Commenting on the benefits of the technology, William Muirhead, principal investigator at UCLH and consultant neurosurgeon at NHNN, said: “Using digital devices can be very challenging for people living with paralysis so to see Paul’s growing independence in directly controlling his computer is incredibly rewarding.”
According to the trust, Paul is the first UK patient to undergo this procedure, following Neuralink’s clinical trials in the US and Canada, where patients are reportedly already using the implant to control computers, smartphones, robotic arms and other day-to-day devices. Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is also taking part in the study, with Neuralink hoping to include up to seven participants.
“This treatment has the potential to help thousands of patients trapped in their own bodies, for whom we have previously been able to offer very little. Patients volunteering for the study are courageous and inspiring and we thank them for their contributions to advancing healthcare,” Harith Akram, chief investigator for the study and UCLH consultant neurosurgeon said.
Clinical trials across healthcare: the wider trend
We recently caught up with Mahi Muqit, senior vitreoretinal consultant at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the Institute of Ophthalmology at UCL, to learn more about the European clinical trial of a new bionic eye implant involving 38 patients at 17 sites across five countries. The study tested the PRIMA device in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), who had lost complete sight. Following activation, participants, some of whom reportedly could not see the vision chart at all prior to surgery, were able to read five lines on average.
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust are taking part in a wider NHS study, trialling the use of AI scanners to help reduce hospital readmissions for people with heart failure and allow patients to manage their condition at home. Developed by the medical technology manufacturer, Heartfelt Technologies, the scanner is an at-home device that takes “thousands of detailed images” of patients as they get in and out of bed.
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is trialling a frailty virtual care programme, utilising tech to remotely monitor patients with long-term conditions in their own homes with the hopes of identifying early warning signs to prevent the need for more intensive support. The trial will see 200 patients invited to join based on clinical criteria, who will be monitored over a 12-month period using equipment including a pulse oximeter, blood pressure cuff and thermometer.
