Spinal Cord Stimulation Combined With Motor Training in Non-Traumatic SCI: A Prospective Interventional Study

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT07412808

Albano Luigi10 enrolled

Overview

Interventional prospective longitudinal on the evaluation of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) assisted by motor rehabilitation training for restoring motor function in patients with non-traumatic 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.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Spinal Cord Disease Spinal Cord Injuries (Complete and Incomplete)

Interventions

Spinal cord stimulation surgery (device implant) and motor rehabilitationPROCEDURE

The first part of the study will involve a preoperative evaluation. Participants' clinical history, neurological, neurophysiological and advanced brain/spine MRI examination will be assessed (Part 1). Subsequently, participants will undergo spinal cord stimulation surgery which involves the implantation of a medical device (Part 2). After the surgery, the research participants will be hospitalized at the Neurosurgery Unit (5-14 days) to monitor the incision site (Part 3). Thereafter, the patients will be moved (for at least 6 weeks) to the Rehabilitation Unit in order to identify appropriate stimulation parameters for inducing stepping and standing and for starting training. The combination of epidural stimulation with manual step/stand training will be thus evaluated (Part 4). Patients will be finally assessed by clinical evaluation, advanced MRI and neurophysiological examination to study the brain, spine and peripheral functions after six months (Part 5).

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosis of NTSCI at least one year before presentation; 2. Complete or incomplete spinal cord damage (ASIA grade A, B or C) conditioning chronic neuropathic pain and motor impairment; 3. Age ≥ 18 years; 4. Indication to spinal cord stimulation surgery for chronic pain; 5. Being unable to stand or step independently; 6. No current anti-spasticity medication regimen; 7. No botox injections in the prior 3 months; 8. Evidence of a personally signed and dated informed consent document indicating that the subject has been informed of all pertinent aspects of the study; 9. Willingness and ability to comply with scheduled visits and other trial procedures. Exclusion Criteria: 1. 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; 2. Pregnancy or breastfeeding; 3. Any significant psychiatric disease; 4. Use of illicit drugs; 5. Unstable medical condition without cardiopulmonary disease or dysautonomia that would contraindicate standing or stepping; 6. Painful musculoskeletal dysfunction, unhealed fracture, contracture, pressure sore, or urinary tract infection that might interfere with stand or step training; 7. Spinal cord involvement above the D1 segment; 8. Severe peripheral neuropathies or damage to the cauda equine.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Motor changes (MRC)

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.

Time frame: Before surgery, then monthly up to 6-month from surgery

Motor changes (LEFS)

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).

Time frame: Before surgery, then monthly up to 6-month from surgery

Secondary Outcomes

Spasticity changes

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

Time frame: Before surgery, then monthly up to 6-month from surgery

Longitudinal neurophysiological reorganization (electromyography)

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