Getting out of bed in the morning without risking fainting is the game-changer of 32-year-old Cordi Krebs.
In 2022, Krebs experienced a severe spinal cord injury (SCI) in a car accident. Since then, Krebs has to use a wheelchair. Damage to his spinal cord means that his brain can no longer control his body’s blood pressure. He was vulnerable to blood pressure drop, where he was at risk of losing consciousness and at risk of a heart attack or stroke. However, international clinical trials led by a team from the University of Calgary, Ecole Polytechnic Federa Re de Lausanne (EPFL), and University of Lausanne (Unil), Switzerland, as well as Sint Martenz Krainiek, Radboudums and Radboudums, controlled him again.
“Before the accident, I didn’t know how I could have unstable blood pressure. I just had to move from bed to chair when my blood pressure was dropping,” Krebs says. “At other times during the day, my blood pressure surges due to severe neuralgia, breaks out with sweat and experiences severe migraines.”
Krebs is part of an ongoing research at the University of Calgary based on key findings to stabilize blood pressure in people with SCIs.
In a rare dual publication in both nature and natural medicine, in a landmark pair study by Dr. Aaron Phillips, Ph.D., Ucalgary, Gregoire Courtne, Ph.D., EPFL, and Jocelyn Brock, Ph.D., UNIL describes the development of targeted therapy and the development of targeted therapy to obtain blood pressure in three clinical studies led to the oviposition station.
Research participants and Krebs have a spine-embedded system consisting of a new class of electrode arrays. These arrays connect to a dedicated pulse generator, similar to a cardiac pacemaker that provides finely tuned electrical stimulation tailored to each individual’s needs. The result is a compact, adaptable system that can be restored to blood pressure stability through the app, with targeted neural regulation that can be controlled.
Our mechanical discoveries in nature were important in filling the gaps between basic neural mapping and clinical applications. This synergistic effect has enabled us to move quickly from theory to treatment. Natural medicine research shows several important factors. First, we show that hypotension after spinal cord injury has serious medical consequences and should not be clinically ignored. Second, we demonstrate that neuromodulatory therapies for post-SCI blood pressure instability can be effectively deployed in a diverse range of clinical settings in several centres in different countries with different medical protocols. ”
Dr. Aaron Phillips, Ph.D., Director and Associate Professor of the Restoration Network at the Cumming School of Medicine
Phillips also shows that long-term use of treatments not only handles hypotension that occurs after SCI, but also prevents the development of life-threatening spikes in blood pressure.
“Natural studies have been able to identify the entire spinal neuronal architecture that causes uncontrolled, life-threatening rise in blood pressure, known as autonomic reflexes. We have also shown that spinal cord stimulation can safely and accurately control blood pressure along with this neuronal architecture.
Results were consistent across study participants at all sites. Once activated, the system restored blood pressure to functional range, often within minutes.
“Based on this new treatment experience, participants report that they experience less brain mist, more energy, more eloquent, less suffering from post-dish dips. Furthermore, after being performed by neurosurgeon Elkan Kurt of Radbudum, the system has proven relatively easy to use in home environments: Centre Sint Martensqueriek, Niemigen, Netherlands.
“The international deployment shows that surgery and treatment are safe and effective regardless of local practices. This is an important milestone to making this technology widely available.”
While the majority of Sci Care’s focus has been on movement recovery, the majority of patients live with chronic hypotension. This is exhausting, cognitively dull, susceptible to fainting, and is a long-term predisposition to cardiovascular disease.
“The implanted devices have a robust safety profile as they are commonly implanted in the treatment of a variety of pain disorders,” says Dr. Fadi Gilgis, a neurosurgeon at Foothills Medical Center. “Therefore, it’s an easy transition to plant them for these novel signs. We’ve seen a very impressive and immediate improvement in blood pressure that is obvious as soon as the device is turned on intraoperatively.”
Krebs says he is proud to be taking part in clinical trials that will advance discovery in this field. “It feels good to be able to raise your blood pressure if necessary, it’s more energy and more clear about it. Also, there are fewer spikes that are dangerous to your blood pressure. I’m very grateful for all the research being done.”
The implantable neurostimulatory system evaluated in these studies was developed by previous medicine. Currently, medical care is FDA approved to launch a vital trial of this therapy.
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Journal Reference:
Soriano, J.E., et al. (2025). Neuronal architecture underlying autonomic reflexes. Nature. doi.org/10.1038/S41586-025-09487-W
