Dr. Damien P. Kuffler

Restoring neurological function

Clinically success in restoring neurological function following nerve trauma has many limitations and thus many people who suffer peripheral nerve damage suffer permanent neurological deficits. This laboratory is performing clinical studies testing and developing a number of different techniques for their ability to that promote more extensive axon regeneration and restore neurological function than is possible with current clinical techniques.

To date we have developed three novel clinical techniques that restore neurological function under conditions where the standard clinical technique is ineffective. These conditions include restoring function across nerve gaps up to 16 cm in length, when nerves are repaired up to 3.25 years post nerve trauma and in patients up to 58 years of age.

Additional experiments are underway to determine whether the efficacy of these techniques can be improved to induce more reliable and extensive recovery of neurological function.

Eliminating neuropathic pain

We developed a novel technique that reduces or eliminates neuropathic pain that occurs following peripheral nerve trauma. This technique is being further investigated for its reliability and to determine whether it can also reduce or eliminate phantom limb pain, and pain originating from diabetic neuropathies.

Ulcer repair

We developed a technique that induces the rapid healing of chronic pressure ulcers. This technique is being further tested for its efficacy on ulcers and for the healing of other types of wounds.

Reducing irradiation necrosis following Gamma Knife surgery

Gamma irradiation to eliminate deadly arterial-venous malformations (AVMs) in the brain typically leads to neurological side effects due to the irradiation inducing necrosis of healthy brain tissue. We are developing a novel imaging technique to allow better imaging the AVMs so Gamma irradiation can more precisely target AVMs and thereby reduce the irradiation and killing of healthy brain tissue so that patients suffer fewer neurological side effects.