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Spinal Cord Stimulation Assisted by Motor Rehabilitation Training for Restoring Motor Function After Spinal Cord Injury

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Spinal Cord Injuries
Interventions
Procedure: Spinal cord stimulation surgery (device) and motor rehabilitation
Registration Number
NCT05926843
Lead Sponsor
IRCCS San Raffaele
Brief Summary

Interventional prospective longitudinal on the evaluation of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) assisted by motor rehabilitation training for restoring motor function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The investigators will enroll ten research participants with clinically incomplete/complete SCI (patients with paraplegia or severe paraparesis) who will undergo SCS subsequently assisted by motor rehabilitation training for restoring motor function at IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy. The main goal of the project is to evaluate the improvement in motor function generated by the combination of SCS and locomotor training. In line with recently published studies, the investigators propose that daily locomotor training in the presence of SCS with continuous stimulation parameters setting will enable the SCI individuals to stand and step independently while bearing full weight.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
10
Inclusion Criteria
  • Diagnosis of SCI from at least one-year post injury;
  • Complete or incomplete spinal cord damage (ASIA grade A, B or C) conditioning chronic neuropathic pain and motor impairment
  • Age > 18 years;
  • Indication to spinal cord stimulation surgery for chronic pain;
  • Be unable to stand or step independently;
  • No current anti-spasticity medication regimen;
  • No botox injections in the prior 3 months;
  • Evidence of a personally signed and dated informed consent document indicating that the subject has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the study;
  • Willingness and ability to comply with scheduled visits and other trial procedures.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Any person unable to lie still within the environment of the MRI scanner for the required period to perform the study and those where MRI scanning is contraindicated (i.e. metal clips, claustrophobia);
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding;
  • Any significant psychiatric disease;
  • Use of illicit drugs;
  • Unstable medical condition without cardiopulmonary disease or dysautonomia that would contraindicate standing or stepping;
  • Painful musculoskeletal dysfunction, unhealed fracture, contracture, pressure sore, or urinary tract infection that might interfere with stand or step training;

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Individuals with functionally complete/incomplete spinal cord injurySpinal cord stimulation surgery (device) and motor rehabilitationIndividuals with functionally complete/incomplete spinal cord injury (ASIA grade A, B or C) who will undergo SCS for chronic pain
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Motor changes (MRC)Before surgery, then monthly up to 6-month from surgery

The Medical Research Council's (MRC) scale of muscle power will be used to evaluate motor weakness. The MRC scale of muscle strength uses a score from Grade 5 (normal) to Grade 0 (no visible contraction) to assess the power of a particular muscle group in relation to the movement of a single joint.

Motor changes (LEFS))Before surgery, then monthly up to 6-month from surgery

The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) will be used by clinicians as a measure of lower extremity function. It is a questionnaire containing 20 questions about a person's ability to perform everyday tasks (minimum score 0, maximum score 80).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Chronic pain changes (MPQ)Before surgery and 6 months after procedure

The McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) can be used to evaluate a person experiencing significant pain. It consists of 15 descriptors (11 sensory; 4 affective) which are rated on an intensity scale as 0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate or 3 = severe.

Chronic pain changes (PCS)Before surgery and 6 months after procedure

The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) assesses the extent of catastrophic thinking. It assesses the extent of catastrophic thinking due to low back pain according to 3 components: rumination, magnification, and helplessness. It is a 13-item scale, with a total range of 0 to 52. Higher scores are associated with higher amounts of pain catastrophizing.

Longitudinal brain and spine MRI reorganizationBefore surgery and 6 months after procedure

Structural and functional brain and spine MRI analysis.

Spasticity changesBefore surgery, then monthly up to 6-month from surgery

The Modified Ashworth scale will be used to evaluate spasticity. This scale grades the muscle tone from 0 (normal) to 4 (severe spasticity).

Longitudinal neurophysiological reorganization (motor evoked potentials)Before surgery and 6 months after procedure

Motor evoked potentials will be used to evaluate electrical signals recorded from the descending motor pathways or from muscles following stimulation of motor pathways within the brain.

Longitudinal neurophysiological reorganization (sensory evoked potentials)Before surgery and 6 months after procedure

Sensory evoked potentials will be used to assess electrical activity in the brain in response to sensory stimulation.

Longitudinal neurophysiological reorganization (electromyography)Before surgery and 6 months after procedure

Electromyography will be used to evaluate muscle response or electrical activity in response to a nerve's stimulation.

Chronic pain changes (ASC-12)Before surgery and 6 months after procedure

12-item Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC-12) evaluates presence of allodynia and hypoesthesia.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น

Milan, Italy

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