Twenty-year old Jessica Whitson is able to breathe free of her ventilator for the first time in three years because of a successful implantation of a diaphragm pacer. On August 5th, Jessica became the first patient in New England to receive the NeuRx DPS diaphragm pacemaker. The device was implanted by Brigham and Women's thoracic surgeon Dr. Christopher Ducko through laparoscopic surgery, and on August 6th Jessica was admitted to Spaulding's Spinal Cord Injury Program where she stayed for 7 days. Jessica is now home in Haverhill and is off the ventilator for a total of nine hours each day: for 3-hour intervals at 3 different times during the day, and she is working toward complete weaning.

The device works by providing electrical stimulation to muscle and nerves in the diaphragm. The diaphragm then contracts and creates a vacuum-like effect in the chest cavity that allows air to fill the upper and lower parts of the lungs. When this contraction eases, the air is expelled from the lungs- essentially the same as regular breathing.

The diaphragm pacer was originally tested in late actor Christopher Reeve ten years ago, and was approved by the FDA last year. There are 250 patients worldwide who have received this treatment; and in clinical trials, 50 percent of the patients who received the device and participated in rehabilitation were able to achieve total ventilator independence.

More time off a ventilator gives patients a lowered risk of infection and a lower chance of acquiring pneumonia. It also allows greater mobility, increased senses of taste and smell and a greater sense of freedom. Jessica's mom Kelli agrees, "It was an ongoing issue, remembering, 'did we charge it today?', 'how long do we have?', and that would determine how long you could go out for the day."

On September 4th two other patients with Spinal Cord Injury that have been tethered to the vent for more than two years had the NeuRx DPS placed by Dr. Ducko and BWH with similar results. Both patients were transferred to Spaulding for pacing and education and subsequent transitions back to community living. Once discharged, each patient and family will continue to increase pacing time and decrease time spent on the ventilator as the diaphragm becomes reconditioned.

In July 2005, the National Spinal Cord Injury Database estimated 225,000 to 288,000 individuals in the United States live with SCI and about 11,000 new cases of SCI occur each year. It is estimated that approximately 500 new cases of tetraplegia and mechanical ventilator dependency occur each year that would be eligible for diaphragm pacing. The lifetime costs associated with SCI-related vent dependency for someone from the age of 25 is estimated to be $3 million.