An Airdrie man is the first in the province to undergo a surgical procedure to insert a pacing device in his diaphragm that will allow him to breathe without the help of a ventilator.
Charles Nixdorff is a quadriplegic and was injured when he fell down the stairs and struck his head while trying to move a chair.
Nixdorff lives at the Fanning Centre in Calgary and has spent a lot of time hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe.
Last October, he was fitted with a NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System and is now able to breathe for short periods completely unassisted.
“I like to avoid the ventilator as much as possible,” said Nixdorff. “It’s much more natural to be on the pacer. This is definitely an improvement.”
“The device has improved Charles' quality of life in that it has given him more confidence,” said Beverley Forbes, Carewest Client Service Manager at the Fanning Centre. “When you're relying on a machine to breathe, you realize how dependent you are. But the pacing device offers some independence from that – we're thrilled to be a part of it.”
The pacing system is controlled by an external device and stimulates the diaphragm with an electrical impulse, which helps to regulate the frequency of breaths, and their depth and duration.
“This is something of a test case and we’ll be watching closely to see how Mr. Nixdorff progresses,” said Dr. Chester Ho, head of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Foothills Medical Centre. ”Our hope is that he continues to increase the amount of time during the day he is on the pacing device.”
The devices reduce the risk of infection and irritation to airways and make patients more mobile.
The therapy has been used in the States and Europe but is still relatively new to Canada.
Another Alberta patient, in Edmonton, is also being considered for the procedure.
(With files from Brad MacLeod)
