Doctors see hope in new spinal cord technique

Only last week, doctors in London announced they were on the verge of a new technique to treat severe spinal cord injuries, such as those suffered by Christopher Reeve.

University College London scientists have developed a technique to implant nerve cells from the nose to grow a bridge between the severed ends of the spinal cord, and are working towards carrying out trials on patients.

Reeve himself was paying close attention to the development, which experts described as a 'startling discovery', London's Evening Standard reported.

Nerve endings in the lining at the top of the nose - which re-grow every month to protect our sense of smell - would be removed and transplanted into the affected area to stimulate other nerves.

Geoffrey Raisman, of the National Institute for Medical Research, said he hoped to see the technique used on people within a decade.

'The nervous system which is damaged is like a great telephone connection,' Professor Raisman told the Daily Mail. 'What we are doing is repairing that and growing a bridge over the damaged nerves.'