Robocamp Study Results Published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience

Each summer from 2014 through 2019, we collaborated with Rancho Research Institute on an important research study: Robocamp. This was an intensive rehabilitation camp for children after hemispherectomy surgery. We wanted to understand whether children who had hemispherectomy surgery would benefit from intensive therapy even years after surgery.

This month, the impact of this intensive robotic rehabilitation program has been validated. A peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience confirms that even years after surgery, children and young adults can experience meaningful recovery through targeted robotic therapy.

What Is Robocamp?

Robocamp was a collaboration between our organization and the Rancho Research Institute. Held each summer from 2014 to 2019, this program delivered robotics-assisted therapy to children and young adults who had undergone hemispherectomy surgery due to conditions like:

• Rasmussen’s encephalitis

• Sturge-Weber syndrome

• Cortical dysplasia

• Hemimegalencephaly

• Prenatal stroke

• Other rare neurological disorders

Who Participated?

18 children and young adults participated in Robocamp. They ranged in ages from 10- to 26-years-old, and had surgery anywhere from one year to 17 years before camp.

To qualify, participants needed to meet specific criteria:

• Seizures were well-controlled
• Ability to walk 32 feet unassisted
• Capacity to focus for at least 30 minutes.

These eligibility standards ensured the safety and consistency of the therapy outcomes.

The Robotic Rehab Program

Robocamp offered a structured, intensive two-week program. Each participant received three hours of robotic therapy per day, four days a week, including:

• 1 hour of Lokomat (gait and walking assistance)

• 1 hour of inMotion ARM (upper limb therapy)

• 1 hour of inMotion ANKLE (lower limb therapy)

They also participated in fun activities including recreation therapy, adaptive yoga, virtual reality occupation therapy, occupational therapy targeting activities of daily living, and fun activities like arts and crafts.

This video gives you a peek into what they did:

Key Findings From The Study

At the end of the research study, when asked to walk as far as possible during a 6-minute walk test, the participants reached an average distance of 95 feet farther than they did before camp.

When their upper extremities were assessed using the Fugl-Meyer assessment, they experienced an average increase in function of over 13%.

According to the paper published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, the study provides compelling evidence that:

• Robotic therapy can significantly benefit motor function, even many years post-surgery.
• Neurorehabilitation remains effective long after the recovery window.
• Children and young adults who had hemispherectomy in childhood can make functional gains with the right tools and support.

These findings are a milestone in post-hemispherectomy recovery research, supporting the integration of robotics into long-term therapy plans.

In a related study, researchers studied the brains of five of the participants using magnetic resonance imaging. They found that there was an increase in the gray matter thickness in the part of the brain that controls the hand.

Intensive rehab changed their brains! (See Hazany, S., Mann, D., Bagrodia, N. et al. Cortical change after a 2-week novel robotic rehabilitation program in children with prior hemispherectomy: pilot imaging study. Childs Nerv Syst (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-022-05664-8.)

Finally, the participants also showed an improvement in their confidence, including their ability to complete suggested activities and demonstrate continue performance enhancement, as did their parents.

“What is clear is that rehabilitation programs result in clinically meaningful improvement in the function, lifestyle, and confidence of post-hemispherectomy children and should be an integral part of their post-surgical care.”

Saman Hazany, Neelesh Bagrodia, Remy Chu Jr, Susan Shaw, Results of a 2-week novel robotic rehabilitation program in 18 children with prior hemispherectomy, Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, Volume 108, 2023, Pages 6-12, ISSN 0967-5868, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2022.12.011.

Our gratitude to the entire team at Rancho Research Institute for their tireless work on this project.

Why This Matters

For families and clinicians, the study highlights an important message: With the right interventions, meaningful progress is possible – even a decade or more after hemispherectomy surgery.

Robocamp’s success showcases how evidence-based intensive robotic therapy can empower children and young adults to reclaim movement, independence, and confidence.

I hope this research paper helps you advocate for insurance coverage for intensive therapy programs for your child even years after surgery.

📑 TEMPLATE INSURANCE PRE-AUTHORIZATION LETTER

For information about appealing insurance denials, go to www.patientadvocate.org.