Spinal patch helping paralysed patients walk again

Patients told they would never walk again are defying the odds, thanks to a new medical device.

American Kelly Thomas has become one of the first paraplegics in the world to take steps on her own.

"My eyes got teary and I was like, oh my god, that just happened - I just took steps," she said.

It's thanks to a new device surgically implanted at the base of her spine.

It sends electrical impulses mimicking signals of the brain to the leg muscles. 

Together with intense physiotherapy there are now three patients at the University of Louisville and the Mayo Clinic in the US taking these life changing steps.

Dr Kristen Zhao from the Mayo Clinic, said: "Now I think our real challenge starts and that's understanding how this happened and why it happened and how the best patients are that we can help going forward."

Duncan Wallace, CEO of Spinal Cure Australia, said: "This is the first time we've seen steps taken using neuro-stimulation technology or any other technology so very exciting. "

Experts say we are likely to see similar works here by early next year

Dr Sachin Shettr, Director of the Spinal Unit at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, said: "Initially we're just getting the results out of UCLA from professor Edgeton's lab and to see it being replicated at other centres is extremely exciting this is gonna be significant as far as x injury research goes."

But funding is vital to ensure success of these trials in Australia.