The Hospital Universitario Doctor José Molina Orosa on Lanzarote has introduced a robotic exoskeleton for the lower limbs into its rehabilitation services. According to the Gobierno de Canarias the system is used for patients with central nervous system disorders, including multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, various forms of ataxia and spinal cord injuries. The equipment cost €101,970 and was funded through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, funded by Next Generation EU, making it possible.
The therapy is provided by the Medicina Física y Rehabilitación department and complements existing treatment pathways. The exoskeleton enables controlled, intensive and repeated gait training, tailored to each patient’s physical capabilities. Training focuses in particular on standing up, walking and sitting down, with the aim of restoring functions needed in everyday life and increasing independence. Rehabilitation doctors determine whether the therapy is appropriate during consultations.
The head of the department, Ricardo Díaz highlights several medical benefits in the statement: regular physical loading can help prevent bone loss caused by inactivity, improve bowel function, counter pressure ulcers and reduce the risk of urinary tract infections by making it easier to empty the bladder. Depending on the intensity and duration of the sessions, training also improves physical fitness and cardiorespiratory capacity. Finally, relearning a function thought to have been lost can have a positive effect on patients’ emotional wellbeing.
The hospital says that, following a recent increase in staffing, the department currently has six doctors and six nursing staff. By the end of September this year, it had carried out 9,187 outpatient consultations. Staff also recorded 4,795 diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
With the introduction of the exoskeleton, the Hospital Universitario Doctor José Molina Orosa is following a trend increasingly seen in specialist rehabilitation centres. Its use is limited to cases that meet the medical criteria for this treatment option. The statement from the Consejería de Sanidad does not mention any expansion beyond the region or additional sites.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).