Short-Term Transcutaneous or Epidural Spinal Stimulation for Enabling Motor Function in Humans With SCI

Sponsor
Kristin Zhao, PhD (Other)
Overall Status
Recruiting
CT.gov ID
NCT05095454
Collaborator
(none)
8
1
2
23.9
0.3

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

A study comparing short-term delivery of epidural spinal stimulation versus transcutaneous spinal stimulation.

Condition or Disease Intervention/Treatment Phase
  • Device: Percutaneous epidural electrical spinal stimulation
  • Device: Transcutaneous electrical spinal stimulation
N/A

Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to compare spinal motor nerve response to electrical stimulation delivered directly to the epidural space, and delivered through the skin (transcutaneously), and to measure any changes in motor performance over the course of about 5 months, during and after using one of the two types of stimulation.

Study Design

Study Type:
Interventional
Anticipated Enrollment :
8 participants
Allocation:
Randomized
Intervention Model:
Parallel Assignment
Masking:
None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose:
Basic Science
Official Title:
A Pilot Study to Compare Short-Term Transcutaneous or Epidural Spinal Stimulation for Enabling Motor Function in Humans With Spinal Cord Injury
Actual Study Start Date :
Mar 4, 2022
Anticipated Primary Completion Date :
Mar 30, 2023
Anticipated Study Completion Date :
Feb 28, 2024

Arms and Interventions

Arm Intervention/Treatment
Experimental: Percutaneous Epidural Stimulation

Epidural spinal stimulation will be delivered via percutaneously implanted electrodes during rehabilitation. All implanted electrodes will be removed at the end of trial participation. The effects of epidural stimulation will be recorded via electrophysiological and biomechanical metrics described within the outcomes measures.

Device: Percutaneous epidural electrical spinal stimulation
Abbott percutaneous trial lead for epidural neurostimulation (Model 3086) Ripple Neuromed Nomad Neurostimulation System

Experimental: Transcutaneous Epidural Stimulation

Transcutaneous spinal stimulation will be delivered via skin surface-level electrodes during rehabilitation. The effects of transcutaneous stimulation will be recorded via electrophysiological and biomechanical metrics described within the outcomes measures.

Device: Transcutaneous electrical spinal stimulation
Spectra WaveWriter Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulator System with CoverEdge 32 Electrode Surgical Lead

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

  1. Kinematics [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Change in measurements of joint angles, measured in degrees.

  2. Electromyography [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Change in voltage measurements in major muscle groups below the level of injury.

  3. Foot pressure [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Change in measurements of foot pressure in kilograms through shoe-insole pressure sensors.

  4. Somatosensory evoked potentials [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Measurements of change in voltage in the conduction of electricity through the peripheral nerves, cervical and lumbosacral spinal cord, deep brain structures, and sensory cortex, using surface electrodes.

  5. Transcranial magnetic stimulation motor evoked potentials [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Measurement of change in voltage required to elicit muscle responses in muscle groups known to elicit optimal motor evoked potential responses, both above and below the level of injury.

  6. Injury severity: International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Change in measurements of impairment of sensory and motor functions using the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AISA Scale). Individuals are classified from A" (complete spinal cord injury) to "E" (normal function). 28 dermatomes and 10 key muscles are assessed bilaterally. Results are summed to produce overall sensory and motor scores and are used in combination with evaluation of anal sensory and motor function as a basis for the determination of AIS classification. Sensory scores are rated 0 (sensation absent) to 2 (normal), bilaterally for each of 28 dermatomes. Muscle function is rated 0 (total paralysis) to 5 (active movement, full range of motion against significant resistance) for each myotome. Upper Extremity Motor Subscores and Lower Extremity Motor Subscores are each scored from 0 to 50; the ASIA Motor Score is scored from 0 to 100. The presence of anal sensation and voluntary anal contraction are assessed as a yes/no.

  7. Patient-reported bowel function [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Measurement of change in bowel function using the Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction Score. Answers to qualitative questions are rated from 0 to 5, with a higher number indicating more problematic symptoms, and totaled for a score which categorizes severity of neurogenic bowel symptoms.

  8. Patient-reported bladder function [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Measurement of change in bladder function using the Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score. Answers to qualitative questions are rated from 0 to 5, with a higher number indicating more problematic symptoms, and totaled for a score which categorizes severity of neurogenic bladder symptoms.

  9. Male patient-reported sexual function (1) [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Measurement of change in erectile dysfunction using the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM). Answers to qualitative questions are rated from 0 to 5, with a higher number indicating better erectile function, and totaled for a score which categorizes severity of erectile dysfunction.

  10. Male patient-reported sexual function (2) [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Measurement of change in erectile dysfunction using the International Index for Erectile Function (IIEF). Answers to qualitative questions are rated from 0 to 5, with a higher number indicating better erectile function, and totaled for a score which categorizes severity of erectile dysfunction.

  11. Female patient-reported sexual function [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Measurement of change in sexual function using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Answers to qualitative questions are rated from 0 to 5, with a higher number indicating better sexual function, and totaled for a score which categorizes severity of sexual dysfunction.

  12. Spasticity [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Change in measurements of spasticity using the Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity Evaluation Tool (SCI-SET). Answers to qualitative questions are rated from -3 to +3, with a higher positive number indicating more helpful symptoms, and a lower negative number indicating more problematic symptoms. Scores are totaled for a score which categorizes the overall positive or negative impact of a subject's spasticity symptoms.

  13. Neurostimulation user experience [End of intervention.]

    Rating of the subject's perception of individual aspects of spinal stimulation using the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ), a survey including 26 descriptive terms and their antonyms. A scoring scale ranging from 1 to 7 determines how closely the subject feels the term or its antonym applies to the intervention, with lower numbers indicating agreement with the term, and higher numbers indicating agreement with the antonym.

  14. Overground ambulation [as appropriate to the subject] [Through intervention completion; an average of 4 weeks.]

    Measurement of changes in overground mobility as measured by the Modified 6 Minute Walk Test. Trainers will assess the distance in meters which the subject can cover in 6 minutes, with a greater distance characterizing better overground mobility.

  15. Trunk stability [Through study completion; an average of 5 months.]

    Changes in trunk stability based on stable forward reach measured in centimeters, with a greater distance of forward reach characterizing greater trunk stability.

  16. Neurostimulator lead location and migration [Epidural group only] [Beginning of study, prior to initiating intervention; End of 4 weeks of intervention.]

    Evaluation of current array location via CT.

  17. Bladder function testing [Beginning of study, prior to initiating intervention; End of 4 weeks of intervention.]

    Change in measurements of bladder function utilizing a urodynamic test consisting of a filling phase and a voiding phase cystometrogram along with perineal patch muscle electromyography.

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:
22 Years and Older
Sexes Eligible for Study:
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
No
Inclusion Criteria:
  • Spinal cord injury due to trauma located at or above the tenth thoracic vertebrae (T10)

  • American Spinal Injury Association grading scale of A-D (2 from each) below the level of SCI

  • Intact spinal reflexes below the level of SCI

  • At least 1-year post-SCI

  • At least 22 years of age

  • Willing to use medically acceptable methods of contraception, if female and of child-bearing potential

  • Completed vaccination series for SARS-CoV-2

Exclusion Criteria:
  • Currently a prison inmate, or awaiting trial, related to criminal activity

  • Pregnancy at the time of enrollment

  • DEXA t score <-3.5 at spine and femur head

  • History of chronic and/or treatment resistant urinary tract infection

  • Unhealed decubitus ulcer

  • Unhealed skeletal fracture

  • Untreated clinical diagnosis of depression

  • Undergoing, or planning to undergo, diathermy treatment

  • Active participation in another interventional clinical trial

  • Presence of conditions or disorders which require MRI monitoring

  • A history of coagulopathy or other significant cardiac or medical risk factors for surgery

  • Current use of a ventilator

  • Clinically diagnosed cardiopulmonary complications such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac failure, or heart arrhythmia that contraindicate changes in body position such as supine-to-sit-to-stand activities, prolonged standing, or stepping

  • Mass > 113 kg (250 pounds)

  • History of frequent hypotension characterized by light headedness, or loss of consciousness

  • History of frequent hypertension characterized by headache, or bradycardia

  • History of frequent, severe, autonomic dysreflexia

  • Any illness or condition which, based on the research team's assessment, will compromise with the patient's ability to comply with the protocol, patient safety, or the validity of the data collected during this study.

Contacts and Locations

Locations

Site City State Country Postal Code
1 Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota United States 55905

Sponsors and Collaborators

  • Kristin Zhao, PhD

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kristin D Zhao, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.
Responsible Party:
Kristin Zhao, PhD, Principal Investigator, Mayo Clinic
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT05095454
Other Study ID Numbers:
  • 21-006340
First Posted:
Oct 27, 2021
Last Update Posted:
Mar 23, 2022
Last Verified:
Mar 1, 2022
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:
No
Plan to Share IPD:
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product:
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product:
Yes
Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Mar 23, 2022