View clinical trials related to Spinal Cord Injury.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to analyze the safety and efficacy of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in patients with thoracolumbar chronic and complete spinal cord injury.
After a complete spinal cord injury (SCI), the patient becomes wheelchair-dependent, and the associated lack of weight-bearing and inactivity of paralysed muscles can lead to extensive bone loss in the long bones of the legs. It has been documented that the most rapid phase of bone loss is during the first year, but bone loss can continue for a number of years post-injury, leading to an increased risk of fracture in chronic SCI. Through a previous longitudinal study, in which we described rates of bone loss in the first year of SCI using peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (pQCT), we showed that there is a subset of patients who suffer from extremely rapid bone loss, losing up to 50% of their bone mineral density (BMD) in the first 12 months post-SCI. As a result of this work, we now know that, by performing repeat bone scans within months of injury, we are able to detect and "red-flag" those patients at highest risk of rapidly weakening bones. We propose that, once these patients have been identified, there is an opportunity to intervene with bone-stimulating interventions within months of injury, before BMD reaches dangerously low values. In this new phase of the research, therefore, we are introducing an intervention phase to the longitudinal pQCT study. For this, we aim to trial a physical intervention, Whole Body Vibration (WBV), that could potentially reduce rates of further bone loss in fast bone losers. Vibration would achieve this by acting as a mechanical stimulus for bone cells, to encourage bone formation. If shown to be successful as an early bone-stimulating intervention, it may prove to be a tool for reducing future fracture risk in patients with SCI.
As technologies are advancing quickly in the healthcare setting, new solutions have become available helping disable people to enhance their ability to communicate. One of these advances is the introduction of the 'eye gaze system'. Through processing eye movements, this device allows a person to write, speak, use the Internet and even control systems in the home or office. In the currently proposed study we aim to evaluate the psychological and functional effects of using the Tobii™ Eyegaze System by inpatients with tetraplegia who are unable to use arms and legs and sometimes are not able to talk because of an impaired respiratory function. Volunteering inpatients will be recruited at the National Spinal Injuries Centre. Volunteers will be instructed and trained to use the Tobii™ Eyegaze System. The number of sessions required to successfully master the device depends on the learning curve of the patient. The progress will be documented accordingly. After successful completion of the training and supervised use, the inpatients will be offered the Tobii™ Eyegaze System for unsupervised use, 4 hours a week, for the following 2 months. It is hypothesised that using the Tobii™ Eyegaze System by inpatients with tetraplegia results in improved disability perception and independence scores. For the current feasibility study 12 participants will be recruited and assessed for 'Appraisal of Disability', 'Mood', 'Assistive Technology perception' and 'eyeskills' to instruct the computer system. Positive study outcomes will encourage future studies of the role of the Tobii™ Eyegaze System in both a rehabilitation and home environment.
This research looks for markers in the blood of people with spinal cord injury that may be a sign of injury severity, or serve as a clue to the degree of recovery. Investigators would also like to compare the marker profile of these patient with that of other neurological conditions such as stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Patients participating in this trial will be those accepted to neuro-rehabilitation in Sheba medical center, Israel. They will join the trial at their arrival to the ward, no less than 2 week after the beginning of their condition, but no later than 3 months. Patients will be examined by the research staff three times: 1. At arrival, the patients will be neurologically examined and their functional abilities will be assessed. Blood will be drawn and sent to the lab. 2. At 6 months after the beginning of the neurological condition the same will be repeated: the patients will be neurologically examined and their functional abilities will be assessed, and blood will be drawn and sent to the lab. 3. The final examination will take place 1 year after the beginning of the neurological condition. This time only the neurological and functional abilities will be assessed without blood tests. The blood samples will be tested in the research lab. Then investigators shall compare the clinical findings with the laboratory findings, and see if any of the markers found reflect the injury severity or predict the recovery.
Until now, there's still no any strong evidence supported "which is the best way to restoration walking ability" in spinal cord injury. Most of the evidence suggest that, there is somehow better after gait rehabilitation for ASIA classification C and D but not improved walking ability for ASIA classification A and B. There is an RCT showed the evidence of repetitive locomotor training and physiotherapy could be improved walking and basic activities of daily living after stroke, these might be also really effect in SCI patients.
CNS reorganization is evidenced in patients with CNS lesion, no exception to the patients with spinal cord injury. The paraplegics have to increase their loading of upper extremities to compesate the lost function of lower extremities. We hypothesize that CNS reorganization can happen in the chronic paraplegics. We try to compare the changes of parameters of transcranial magnetic stimulation in these patients with the normal population cross-sectionally.