A TEAM from Salisbury District Hospital, including top plastic surgeon John Hobby, is to play a key role in a European drive to develop the next generation of electrical implants, which are used to improve the lives of victims of spinal injuries and strokes.

The implants stimulate some paralysed muscles and nerves, improving co-ordination and movement for people with spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders, by mimicking signals that would once have come from the brain.

During the next ten years, a specially established European group of experts aims to design, develop and put into practice new micro devices that would be more effective and easier to use.

The Salisbury hospital team, which also includes clinical engineers and specialist physiotherapists, has been chosen because it has more than 20 years' experience in researching and adapting devices for patients who could benefit from this type of treatment, known as functional electrical stimulation.

In Mr Hobby, the hospital has the leading UK surgeon on Freehand - a system that involves implanting and attaching electrodes to nerves in the spine, giving paraplegic people the ability to move their hands and grip objects.

The hospital's medical physics and biomedical engineering department has also conducted its own pioneering work, developing the Odstock drooped-foot stimulator, which enables stroke patients to walk more effectively.

Paul Taylor, the hospital's clinical engineer, told the Journal: "We have been developing and adapting electrical devices to stimulate paralysed nerves or muscles for a number of years in Salisbury - and have continued to perfect the way in which these can by used by our patients.

"Although functional electrical stimulation is not a cure, it does help improve the quality of life for people with specific conditions, by providing an alternative way of getting over a particular problem.

"The work we have been doing for people with strokes is a good example of this.

"Many people who have had strokes are paralysed down one side of the body, which can cause the 'dragging foot' effect, where the person is unable to lift their foot and leg properly in time with the other side.

"We originally developed an external device and then an implant that helps reduce the effect, by stimulating paralysed muscles in the leg, using electrodes attached to the peroneal nerve."

The aim now is to improve on existing technology by producing common or standard devices that could then be adapted in a variety of ways.

New devices will still be used to improve movement and co-ordination.

However, the technology should also enable surgeons to implant sensors that could be used to pick up the early signs of a congenital disease, such as glaucoma.

Mr Taylor said: "Our role within the group will be to ensure that new implants are designed to meet the needs of patients. Salisbury District Hospital will also provide the specialist surgical team to implant devices and the researchers and physiotherapists with the experience and expertise to test and audit results."

Other organisations will have their own role within the project and they will use their own particular field of expertise in areas such as mechanical engineering and telecommunications.

There are 26 partners across nine European Union countries, who will develop a range of medical implants, combining experts from a wide range of disciplines.

The EU Framework VI project has more than £16m of funding over four years and Salisbury health care trust will receive £800,000 for its work on the health care aspect of the venture.